planet weekly 479

FEBRUARY 26 + MARCH 122 >>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts

Develop the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

By living the 7 Habits, you will become profoundly more effective in things that matter most to you in your work and in your personal life. This class, facilitated by Dr. Terri Boman, will be held on Monday, Mar. 30, Apr. 6, 13 & 20 from 12-4p.m. (4 weeks) at the Chamber. Email Stacey Gann at [email protected] or call 205-391-0559 today to preregis-ter for the 7 Habits 4.0 experience. Must register by Mar. 11. Tuition is $295/person for Chamber members. Fee covers book, instruction and lunch at each session.

2015 Veterans Appreciation Event Planned

Our 2015 Veterans Appreciation Event will be Tuesday, Apr. 7 from 5:30-8 p.m. in the Ferguson Center Main Ballroom. This will include complimentary food and beverag-es as well as room for over 100 company/organization displays. Let's show our area veterans a great time and increase their exposure to a "veteran-friendly" Chamber membership. Thanks to our presenting

>>> N E W S | t H E c H a m B E R o f c o m m E R c E

NEWSVETERANS APPRECIATION EVENT APRIL 7

sponsor, Warrior Ranch Training Center; gold sponsors, University of Alabama Continuing Studies, Alabama Central Credit Union, Realty Executives and Peco Foods; and silver sponsors Bill Poole, Jackson Security Services and Premier Service Company. For more info, contact Al Spencer at (205) 391-0329.

2015 Montgomery Drive-In Set for Apr. 14-15

Registration is open for the Chamber's 2015 Montgomery Drive-In presented by Shelton State Community College. We will travel to the state capitol on the morning of Apr. 14 and return on the afternoon of the 15. During our visit, we will meet with our elected officials, including lunch with Governor Bentley. We will have the opportunity to discuss issues facing West Alabama with our legislative delegation and network with fellow Chamber mem-bers and other community leaders. The registration fee is $225, which includes transportation, meals. Room cost is not included in the registration fee. For more info or a registration form (which includes

hotel info), contact Stacey Gann at 391-0559 or [email protected] no later than Mar. 11. The Montgomery Drive-In is sponsored in part by Alabama Power Company, The University of Ala-bama, TTL, Inc., D.T. & Freight Co., Inc., Merrill Lynch & Southland Benefit Solu-tions.

Get Hands-On Intermediate Microsoft Excel Training

Join us for this class on Mar. 10 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with Donna Gilliland of MOSTraining, Inc. It's all about the data. Learn how to communicate info visually using the power of Excel Charts. Learn how to use the PivotTable feature to drill down and analyze data in those large spreadsheets you have. Use the Filter feature view specific data sets of informa-tion with a few clicks. As an added bonus, learn how to use the Data Validation fea-ture to create drop down lists to speed up data entry time and increase the accuracy of data entry. E-mail [email protected] for prerequisites and seat availability. Cost is $140/person.

Brewery Buddy Advances to Final Stage of Alabama Launchpad Contest

A Tuscaloosa-based startup housed at The Edge-Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is among five teams selected for the next stage of the latest competition. The company is working on a cloud-based brewery management platform designed to help manage the business and logistics of craft brewing. Other teams to advance in the latest competition are Abel Healthcare Enterprises, In the Sports Zone LLC., Skills For Success LLC and Wires, all based in Birmingham. The teams are competing for a share of up to $250,000 meant to help the startups advance their ventures. The five-judge panel for the competition in-cludes investors, entrepreneurs and corpo-rate stakeholders. Launchpad is a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama Foundation.

Reminder: Join the Chamber for breakfast at the Embassy Suites, 7:30, on Tuesday, March 31. Guest speaker is Sen. Richard Shelby. Presented by Crimson Village.

3>>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM FEBRUARY 26 + MARCH 12

STORIES4 T-TOWN'S SHIFTING NIGHTLIFE // TREY BROOKSIt feels more mature, and it is

5 LOOSA BREWS // KAITLYN BLOUNTWhat's not to like?

6 GROWING PAINS // KAITLYN BLOUNTMcFarland Blvd. to get much needed improvements

7 THERE'S NO STAGE 5 // PRESTON THOMPSONTheatre Tuscaloosa production gets rave reviews

8 LATITUDES & LONGITUDES // KEVIN LEDGEWOODStunning annual exhibit of Tuscaloosa and University Painters

11 ROCK N' ROLL WINES // JON ROGERSPink Floyd's Dark Side and Grateful Dead's Steal Your Face

17 DRUID ARTS AWARDS // KEVIN LEDGEWOODJudi Rabel awarded 2014 Patron of the Arts

ENTERTAINMENT10-12 RESTAURANT GUIDE / WINE & BEER

14 THE FLAT SCREEN

15 MOVIE REVIEW

16-17 LOCAL EVENTS CALENDAR

18 ROAD TRIP

19 LOCAL MUSIC

20 PUZZLEMANIA

21 HOROSCOPE

HIGH TIDE SPORTS23 RECRUITING REPORT // GARY DAVIS

PUBLISHERlinDa W. JoHnson

MANAGING EDITORBER t paulsEn

ASSOCIATE EDITORWilliam BaRsHop

COVER DESIGNl au R a l i n E B E R R Y

EVENTSW i l l i a m B a R s H o p

ROAD TRIPtREY BRooKs

RESTAURANT GUIDEDoc fRanKEnstEin

PRODUCTIONH E R B n E u

IMAGESimages: creative common

license unless otherwise credited.

p l a n e t W e e k l yp. o . B o x 2 3 1 5t u s c a l o o s a , a l 3 5 4 0 3p h o n e : 2 0 5 . 7 9 2 . 7 2 3 9 | 2 0 5 . 7 6 5 . 8 0 0 7

E m a i l : p u b l i s h e r @ t h e p l a n e t w e e k l y . c o mplease direct correspondence to: [email protected] planet Weekly is a proud member of the West alabama chamber of commerce.

© 2015 all rights reserved. tHE planEt WEEKlY is a registered trademark.

planet Weekly is published every other thursday. no part of this publication including editorials may be reproduced, in whole or part, by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the publisher’s prior expressed written consent. one copy of each issue of tHE planEt WEEKlY is free to each of our readers. any reader who takes more than four copies without expressed permission of the publisher shall be deemed to have committed theft. the views and opinions of the authors of articles appearing in this publication may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.

>>> www.theplanetweekly.com >>> planetweeklyissue479

5 inside 22

under the cover

ADVERTISINGmaR t Y RoBERson205.523.4668HERB nEu205.765.8007

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSW i l l i a m B a R s H o pK a i t lY n B lo u n tc a R a B R a K Et R E Y B R o o K sG a R Y H a R R i sc i n DY H u G G i n sK E V i n l E D G E W o o Da l a n a n o R R i sJ i m R E E DBREtt REiDJ o n R o G E R sVa n R o B E R t sR ac H E l s t E i n E R

17

FEATURE14 SUPERHEROES FOR GIFTED KIDS // ALANA NORRIS

BE SURE TO VISIT OUR NEW DYNAMIC WEBSITE

4 >>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM FEBRUARY 26 + MARCH 12

>>> F I L M | K E V I N L E D G E W O O D

Painting: Kathy Hiers

BAMA THEATRE PART OF NATIONWIDE FILM PROJECT MARCH 8

Film-lovers in Tuscaloosa will unite with audiences in cinemas across the U.S.

to decide the fate of “Patrick’s Day,” a feature film from Ireland, when it screens at the Bama Theatre on Sun., March 8, 2015 at 3 p.m. On this night, audiences at each venue will vote on whether Patrick’s Day should be seen in cinemas across the country for a wider release. The organiz-ers hope this unique, audience-driven, nation-wide poll sends a message to distributors that could jumpstart a film-maker’s career. The Feature Film project was conceived by Manhattan Short Film Festival founder Nicholas Mason, who has assembled a selection committee comprised of programmers and owners of some of the most prestigious Art House Cinemas in the U.S.

"The Feature Film Project is about taking unique films like “Patrick’s Day” that have been well-received on the film festival circuit and introducing them to neighbor-hood cinemas. A nationwide test screening lets the cinema-going public decide its fate. What these emerging filmmakers need is an audience to see and judge their work. I want to thank the cinemas involved for embracing the concept,” says Mason.

“Patrick’s Day” tells the story of a young man with mental health issues who becomes involved with a suicidal flight attendant, a relationship his obsessive mother seeks to thwart with the aid of a dysfunctional cop. The film has played to enthusiastic audiences on the festival

circuit, winning Best Film and Audience Awards at the Cork Film Festival and the Galway Film Fleadh in Ireland, and the Woodstock Film Festival in the U.S. to name a few. In addition, lead actor Moe Dunford won the Shooting Star Award at the Berlin Film Festival, an award previ-ously won by notable actors and actresses such as Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz.

"Growing up, I was obsessed with the cinema of the American dream,” says Terry McMahon, writer-director of the film. “My imaginative life was played out on the streets of America. My cinematic influ-ences were American. My favorite actors and directors were American. So, at the risk of sounding sentimental, this embrace of our Irish movie feels like the American dream come true.”

Admission is $8 general, $7 students and seniors and $6 Arts Council members.

For more information about the Fea-ture Film Project visit www.TheFeature-FilmProject.com.

>>> C H A N G E S | T R E Y B R O O K S

Maybe it’s because I’m getting older. At 26, I don’t look for the same things

in a bar I did when I just turned 21 (or be-fore, but we won’t get into that). However, I can’t help but feel there’s been a shift in the tone and branding of the nightlife scene in Tuscaloosa. Again, I have no statistics or studies to back this up, it’s just an observation. But it almost feels that as I (hopefully) mature, the bar scene in this town has as well. This really came to my attention with the opening of Loosa Brews. More of a store than an actual bar, this hangout highlights the ever-expanding craft beer market in both Alabama and the United States as a whole. The major brew-ers of the state are represented, as are beers from around the world. And as I look at the taps at other watering holes in this town, I can’t help but notice that craft beers are becoming more and more common.

Let me state that I love Loosa Brews. It’s not my everyday hangout, but it’s a terrific spot with great selection and a very knowledgeable and friendly staff. And as a craft beer fan, I’m very supportive of the growth I’ve seen in the market, especially from local brewers like Druid City Brewing Company and Black Warrior Brewing Com-pany. We’re still not producing what I tasted in London, but it’s so much better than Bud-weiser being the darkest beer available.

But it isn’t just the beer taps that have changed. Going back to Loosa Brews, the entire store represents a change I’ve noticed in town. The interior is dimly lit and low key. Music is playing but not blar-ing. There’s only one television. There’s even a lounge area. It’s a place that wants you to relax. It’s mature. And that’s something I’ve noticed around town. Look at Loosa Brews’ sister bar Alcove Interna-tional Tavern for example. The Alcove is in a horrible location that was almost cut off from the rest of downtown by construc-tion for a long time. And yet, it’s always busy. The lure of a relaxing atmosphere

at a bar that specializes in selection has become quite popular.

College towns are generally known for bars that cater almost exclusively to stu-dent populations, and when I was 21, that described Tuscaloosa to a tee. However, look at some of the changes that have oc-curred recently. Harry’s, once notorious for serving underage customers, no lon-ger allows anyone under 21 to enter. The same has occurred at Filling Station, one of the most popular bars downtown. 1831, which was once a grimy hangout that featured cheap drinks and used arcade games, underwent a major renovation that has made it one of the nicer bars in Tem-merson Square. The same can be said about Red Shed on the Strip, which has become much nicer after its renovation.

But while I appreciate the classier changes in the scene, there are others that make me pine for older days. When I turned 21, the Mellow Mushroom’s upstairs bar used to bring in great music acts on a weekly basis. That bar is only used for special events now. What really upsets me though is the loss of the Jupiter. Once the premier bar venue in town, the Jupiter closed its doors near the end of 2014. I have no idea what led to the close or what will be done with the property. The Jupiter hosted an impressive range of artists from all over the country and was a great place to see local acts to play to larger crowds. While Green Bar, Rhythm and Brews and Rounders still bring in quality acts, losing the Jupiter really stings, at least to this lifelong Tuscaloosan.

The last five years have seen a lot of change in the nightlife scene in Tuscaloosa. Of course, this is just my perspective. I’m sure those who remem-ber the original Booth, Cheap Shots and the Library have entirely different perspec-tives. But I can’t help but notice a differ-ent direction in the scene as a whole. Is it progress or just a fad? Only time will tell.

TUSCALOOSA'S SHIFTING NIGHTLIFE //CHANGING SCENES

5>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts FEBRUARY 26 + MARCH 12

>>> E N T R E P R E N E U R S | K A I T L Y N B L O U N T

Four years ago, there were only six craft beer breweries in the state of

Alabama. Now, there are 26, and more are in the works to be opened in the next few years. According to the Brew-ers Association, a group that represents smaller breweries across the nation, craft

LOOSA BREWS // WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?

breweries all across the country are on the rise, showing a 15.3 percent increase from 2012 to 2013. The explosion of craft breweries in Alabama can be attributed to the Free the Hops Gourmet Beer bill that passed in 2009, raising the limit on alcohol by volume in beer from 6 percent

to 13.9 percent. In 2009, Chad Smith saw the possi-

bilities for craft beer after the law passed, and decided to open the Alcove Tavern, a local bar that specializes in serving craft beer that you might not be able to find elsewhere. Now, as the popularity and demand of craft beer continues to grow, Smith has teamed up with business partner Brad Lee to open Loosa Brews, a completely new take on the way people can purchase and consume craft beer.

If you drive down to Loosa Brews on 20th Ave., you will find a wide variety of bottled and canned craft beers, and even a selection of wine. But the main feature at Loosa Brews that sets it apart from everyone else is the growler station, which has 63 beers on tap. You can purchase either a 32 or 64 ounce growler jug, and fill it with fresh beer of your choice from the wide variety of taps and take it home with you.

Smith said that the growler station offers customers with the opportunity to purchase a fresher, higher quality beer, rather than buying it bottled or canned. The beer served on tap is transferred di-rectly from the brewery in a keg, without being subjected to light or air. When you purchase bottled or canned beer, it has been exposed to more light and air, and the bottling date is typically older than the draft, according to Smith.

Another benefit of the growler station is that it gives customers the opportunity to take home beer made by local brewer-ies that you can't buy packaged. Some smaller breweries’ beer can be found only in specific restaurants or bars, or in some cases it can be consumed only at the brewery itself. With the growler station at Loosa Brews, people can now taste and take home local Alabama beer that previously would have been hard to find. And the selection of local beers is certainly not lacking.

“We have eight dedicated taps for the two local Tuscaloosa breweries, four for Druid City and four for Black Warrior,” Smith said. “At any given point we have about 30 beers from Alabama breweries on tap.”

Another feature of Loosa Brews is its selection of home-brewing supplies and ingredients. According to Smith, if people wanted to try their hand at home-brewing in the past, they would have to turn to the internet or drive out of town to find the necessary supplies. But with the craft beer rise in popularity, Smith thinks that home-brewing beer could

be on the rise in Tuscaloosa as well. “We plan to become more intricately

involved with the home brew community in Tuscaloosa by hosting meetings and providing workshops on how to brew at home,” Smith said. “We plan to grow our retail home brew offerings tremendously over the next year by catering to the needs and requests of our local home brewers.”

The public has responded very posi-tively to the opening of Loosa Brews. The business is unlike anything Tuscaloosa has seen before, offering a completely unique way to shop for beer. When you first walk in, you can look to your left and see what looks like a living room set up, complete with comfortable seating and antique decorations. The main part of the store features shelves of bottled and canned beer, and a smaller selection of bottled wine. Then in the back, you will find the growler station with a bar set up, offering customers the opportunity to drink beer on the premises while they shop.

“Our handmade shelves from antique hardwoods and imported reclaimed doors and shutters adds to the experi-ence and leaves behind the sterile shop-ping environments that most people are accustomed to,” Smith said. “Couple this with the ability to consume any of our 63 beers on tap while you shop or just hang out with your friends and the result is a brand new concept that everyone seems to like a lot.”

Smith says that the customers Loosa Brews has seen is a mixture of young and old. The appreciation of craft beer can be found in younger, of age college students as well as older appreciators of beer. With the people of Tuscaloosa get-ting more and more into craft beer, Loosa Brews has given them a store to fit all of their needs.

“Craft beer is on the rise and is not going anywhere,” Smith said. “As it continues to grow, Loosa Brews aims to be the biggest craft beer and home brew supplier for West Alabama.”

Loosa Brews is open Tuesdays through Thursdays from noon to 10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 8 p.m.

Co-owner Brad Lee

Photos: Kaitlyn Blount

Take-home growler jugs


>>> T H E C I T Y | K A I T L Y N B L O U N T

GROWING PAINS // BIG IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE ON MCFARLAND // REMOVING THE BOTTLENECKS

As most people who live in Tuscaloosa know, the traffic can

get nerve wracking at times. Trying to drive down McFarland at five in the afternoon will usually result in having to stop at half of the the traffic lights you encounter, and fighting to cross lanes of congested traffic. Over the years, the city of Tuscaloosa has seen more and more drivers, and with the University of Alabama reporting higher enrollment numbers year after year, this doesn’t seem to show any sign of slowing down.

The Alabama Department of Trans-portation is planning on breaking ground this year on 11.2 miles of roadwork that will stretch from Rose Bou-levard in Northport all the way to Jug Factory Road in Tuscaloosa. ALDOT proposes that the changes are expected to result in 10 percent capacity increase for US 82/McFarland as well as a 15 percent decrease in travel time. The project is estimated to last between 12 and 15 months, which means it should be completed towards the end of 2016.

The aim of the approximately $20 million project is to relieve congestion on McFarland by changing how traffic signals function and by improving how people can access the road. To improve access management, several changes will be made to medians and turning lanes.

The majority of median crossovers along US 82 will either be removed or converted into one-direction turning lanes. Brad Darden, pre-construc-tion engineer for ALDOT based in Tuscaloosa, says that an open median has up to 32 conflict points, meaning that there are multiple opportunities for a vehicle to get in to an accident. By add-ing directional turning lanes, the risk of an accident will greatly decrease. Hav-ing designated-left-turning lanes instead

of wide, open medians will mean less congestion, since drivers will have the opportunity to merge into traffic instead of idling in the median while waiting for a chance to turn or cross. Removing median crossovers will also encourage drivers to make u-turns at signals, which is less dangerous than attempting a turn at one of the many currently existing medians without signals.

Darden also emphasizes that minimal to no right-of way is going to be needed, as the changes to lanes will be made by

using existing pave-ment, rather than adding completely new lanes.

“The point is maximizing ef-ficiency instead of just adding all new lanes, which would be more expensive,” Darden said.

One example of this will be the addition of a left turn-ing lane on McFarland for I-59. The currently existing single turning lane is constantly backed up and a major con-tribution to traffic congestion. By 2016, not only will there be two turning lanes instead of one, but they will be longer than the original, meaning more space for cars wanting to merge on to the inter-state, leaving more room for drivers try-ing to get by. Darden also said that the current plan intends on extending the connectivity of service roads, meaning that in some areas drivers won’t always have to get back on US 82 to go from one place to the next.

Another major change being made is the upgrade of technology used by traffic signals. Three traffic signals along the 11 mile stretch will be removed all together, while the remaining 26 will be upgraded from using a timer to us-ing adaptive signal control technology. Darden explains that this means the signals will communicate to one another and make adjustments based on the amount of traffic, rather than operating

on a timer system. By constantly making adjustments, drivers will no longer expe-rience the aggravation of catching every single red light. While this new technolo-gy doesn't mean you’ll never get a red light again, it does mean you will catch significantly less, therefore making your commute that much easier.

Although the majority of the road work will be done on nights and week-ends, these changes could ultimately affect businesses all along US 82. In order to answer any questions business and property owners had concerning the plan, ALDOT sent out almost 800 letters informing them of the project and held a public involvement meeting.

“We also set up one on one meetings with businesses who still had questions or concerns, showed detailed maps and attempted to answer all questions as best as possible,” Darden said.

Some businesses along US 82 are con-cerned that the year-long road work will af-fect their amount of customers. Kurt Gram-

mer, general manger at Moe’s Southwest Grill located on McFarland, is among those who are concerned that road work will hurt business. Grammer thinks that lack of

accessibility and the headache of driving through construction will cause potential customers to eat somewhere more convenient. Although he has

concerns about the road work slowing business down, he does agree that the overall end result will be positive.

“Things can’t stay the way they are, especially with the new shopping center at 15th Street being built,” Grammer said. “I think that after the road work is done, it will make things easier and help out our business.”

Grammer uses the term “growing pains” to describe the slump they may see during construction. While the initial road work may cause some business to slow down and may annoy those making their commute, in the end the changes being made will make traveling down US 82/ McFarland Boulevard easier for everyone.

The aim of the approxi-mately $20 million project is to relieve congestion on McFarland by changing how traffic signals func-tion and by improving how people can access the road.

The Alabama Department of Trans-portation is planning on breaking ground this year on 11.2 miles of roadwork that will stretch from Rose Boulevard in Northport all the way to Jug Factory Road in Tuscaloosa.

Friday Feb 27thVelcro Pygmies

Saturday Feb 28th

Mojo Trio

Wednesday Mar 4thKaraoke

w/DJ ProtoJ

Thursday Mar 5thKaraoke

w/DJ ProtoJ


>>> THEATRE | P R E S T O N T H O M P S O N

THERE IS NO STAGE 5 // THEATRE TUSCALOOSA PRESENTS W;T // A RESOUNDING HIT

“This show has incredible meaning for me,” DeVelice said. “This show is so valid.”

Valid is not a word Ms. DeVelice chooses by accident. This show at its core is true to the struggle of someone fighting cancer, up until the very end.

Mr. Wise plays Dr. Kelekian, Dr. Bearing’s chief doctor. Wise effortlessly transitions between doctor and father, as the set changes around Bearing’s experi-ences and memories. “It is such a difficult subject matter, and a wonderfully written play. I wanted to support Drew Baker that is playing this role, which is a massive undertaking.” said Wise.

Overall, Theatre Tuscaloosa deliv-ers with W;t. Amid the spurts of laughter, you’ll find tears from most members of the audience. The experience is best summed up by DeVelice: “The true beauty of W;t is that it makes you experience all of these emotions. [Emotions] that we sometimes are afraid to delve into.”

For more about W;t, and how to buy tickets, visit theatretusc.com. Showtimes are listed through Sunday, March 1.

For me the play is not about cancer, it’s about humanity.” That was the

sentiment of Richard Wallace, one of the leading actors about Theatre Tuscaloosa’s new undertaking. W;t premiered Friday, February 20th at the Bean-Brown Theater on Shelton State’s campus. As executive producer Tina Turley noted, “this is the all-star team of acting,” and after a wild roller coaster of crying and laughter, open-

ing night was met with a standing ovation from a packed house.

The show begins with a crumbling of the fourth wall of the stage. The audience is an active participant in the story, told by Vivian Bearing, played by Drew Baker. Dr. Bearing has been diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer and as she promptly admits, “there is no stage five.” The script takes form of a Shakespearean Tragedy, in that we know

how the story ends before it even begins. But this “spoiler” doesn’t mean the audience can’t experience the widest range of human emotion possible inside a theater.

The role that Baker takes on is noth-ing short of daunting. For an hour and a half of script, Ms. Baker never leaves the stage. The role became physically daunting as well, with Ms. Baker choosing to shave her head to better represent the character.

“Cancer victims don’t have that choice,” Baker said. “I never knew how emotional it would be, until [the barber] turned the chair around and I saw it. It’s something I had to do for the character.” Baker takes the role and reflects it back to the audience in perfect form. Show-ing both vulnerability and strength, Drew Baker uses her wealth of experience to bring life to Vivian Bearing.

W;t is directed by Jeff Wilson, who called upon 30 years of experience to put on the Pulitzer Prize-winning production.

“It’s basically what directors do. Keep the car out of the ditch,” Wilson said. The “car” here is the wonderfully written script that would be fantastic just with a pure in-terpretation. W;t was written by Margaret Edson, who after multiple rejections won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1999 and an Emmy Award for best film in 2001.

“Luckily we have a great playwright,” said Wilson. “We see all these different lessons of emotions. There’s so much character life.”

W;t shows off an outstanding support-ing cast led by Carol DeVelice and Gary Wise. DeVelice plays E. M. Ashford, a pro-fessor in English and friend of protagonist Vivian Bearing. There is a distinct element of English Literature in the play, empha-sized by DeVelice’s academic presence.

The sophistication of the characters Ashford and Bearing makes for a chal-lenging script that is never dull, and always challenging the mind.

“I hope it makes you question,” DeVe-lice said. The actress is a cancer survivor herself, and she said her experience added to the show.

Cathy Wilson (L) and Drew Baker Photo: Preston Thompson

Director Jeff Wilson gives direction to Richard Wallace, Drew Baker, and Kathy Wilson

Photo: Preston Thompson

Photo: Preston Thompson

"


>>> A R T | K E V I N L E D G E W O O D

"LATITUDES AND LONGITUDES" // T.A.U.P. EXHIBIT TO BE HELD AT CAC DURING MARCH

The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa will host an exhibit of work by the Tuscaloosa

and University Painters (TAUP) at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center during March. The exhibit, titled "Latitudes and Longitudes," will open with a recep-

tion on March 6, 2015 from 5 – 8 p.m. during First Friday and will conclude on March 30.

The exhibit will consist of paintings in oil, acrylic and watercolor. Considered TAUP’s official annual group show, the organization

also shows work at other venues. Artists rep-resented in the exhibit will be Chris Metzger, Karen Jacobs, Diana Francko, Emily Mitchell, Anne Stickney, Lorie Layden, Jack Kidd, Jane Evers, Sandra Ray, Pamela Copeland, Lisa Godwin, Sharon Long, Sydney Sparks, Jane Evers and Deborah Hughes.

TAUP has met for over 25 years on Thursday mornings to paint on location, pri-marily in the Plein Aire tradition, but will utilize a live model or set up still lifes in natural light during inclement weather. Concurrently the work of TAUP members is on display at The University Medical Center as a part of “The

Image: Jack Kidd

Image: Pamela Copeland


Continued from previous page

Wellness Walls for Art” initiative.The Arts Council Gallery hours are 9 –

noon and 1 - 4 p.m. on weekdays and noon – 8 p.m. on First Fridays.

The Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center is located at 620 Greensboro Avenue in Downtown Tuscaloosa. For more informa-tion about the CAC, The Arts Council or Bama Theatre, patrons should LIKE the Facebook page “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” and follow tuscarts on Twitter. Call 205-758-5195 or visit cac.tuscarts.org for further information.

MARCH 1, 2015 IS THE DEADLINE FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS THROUGH

THE ARTS COUNCIL

The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa is an-nouncing its annual Small Grants Pro-

gram, awarding projects by Tuscaloosa County artists and non-profit organiza-tions and also grants to local teachers for arts related projects through the newly established Monster Makeover Grant Program.

Since the advent of the Small Grants program in 1986, local artists and organizations have received more than $125,000. The Arts Council is now ac-cepting applications from local artists and organizations for grants for upcoming projects taking place from June 1, 2015 – April 30, 2016. The deadline for applica-tions is March 1, 2015. Recipients will be announced by April, 2015. A one-to-one match of funds is required for those ap-plying for grants. Grants are awarded to new and developing programs or organizations or to special projects of high artistic quality which cannot be self-supporting but meet one or more of The Arts Council’s goals. These goals include the promotion of the arts and humanities in Tuscaloosa County.

Organizations may apply for Small Grants Program awards for such projects as exhibits, festivals, residencies, consul-tants, attendance at seminars, institutes, workshops by artistic and/or administra-tive staff and productions. Professional artists may apply for small grants for pilot or short-term projects or opportunities such as seminars, workshops, conferenc-es, or apprenticeships with master artists.

The maximum Small Grant available to organizations is $1000 and $750 to individuals.

Proceeds from the Monster Makeover program have been used to help estab-lish funds that are specifically earmarked for arts in education through the Com-munity Foundation of West Alabama. Local educators pursuing any arts related project can apply for funding from the Foundation through The Arts Council with a deadline of March 1 for grant activities which are to start June 1, 2015 and be completed by April 30, 2016. To date, Monster Makeover has raised more than $10,000 for arts education.

Guidelines and applications for both grant programs are available online at www.tuscarts.org/smallgrants. Additional information is available to individuals or groups interested in applying by calling Sharron Rudowski, Director of Education Programs, at 345-9801.

The Shelton State Community College Department of Fine Arts has announced the schedule of performances slated for the spring 2015 Terrific Tuesday Con-certs as well as several special concerts and events.

In addition to a variety of recitals to be performed by Shelton State music students, Terrific Tuesday Concerts will include performances by various profes-sional artists from around the state.

All performances are free and open to the public and take place in the Alabama Power Foundation Recital Hall (unless otherwise noted) of the Sandra Hall Ray Fine Arts Center on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College.

For additional information on the Terrific Tuesday Concerts, contact Lillian Roberts at 205.391.2399 or [email protected].

Now – Mar. 1 – W;T*A Pulitzer Prize-Winning Play by Marga-ret Edson. Bean-Brown Theatre (various times) Tickets: 205.391.2277 or theatretusc.com

MARCH3 – VIOLIN RECITALHaeun Kim, violin, and Dr. Hyesook Jung, pianoAlabama Power Recital Hall, 1:15 p.m.

8 – MOZART’S CORONATION MASSFeaturing Shelton Singers and Chamber Orchestra; directed by Dr. Mark BrownCovenant Presbyterian Church, 3:00 p.m.

10 – STUDENT MUSICALEFeaturing SSCC students in voice, per-cussion, piano, and saxophone Alabama Power Recital Hall, 1:15 p.m.

23- Apr. 10 – DARKNESS INTO LIFE: ALABAMA HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART Cadence Bank Art GalleryOpening Reception: March 24 at 4 p.m.

24 – OBOE RECITALDr. Erik Larson, oboeUniversity of West Alabama FacultyAlabama Power Recital Hall, 1:15 p.m.

27 – FINE ARTS SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS

31 – FACULTY RECITALFeaturing SSCC music faculty members: Dr. Mark Brown, Mrs. Glinda Blackshear, Ms. Lillian Roberts, and Dr. Daniel Western Alabama Power Recital Hall, 1:15 p.m.

31 – SHELTON STATE JAZZ ENSEM-BLEDr. Daniel Western, directorBean-Brown Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

APRIL4 – STUDENT VOICE RECITALDrew Baggett, tenor and Colby Skinner, tenor Alabama Power Recital Hall, 3:00 p.m.

To be continued in next edition.

Feb 26t – Baak GwaiFeb 27 – Blackwater Thieves with

The Doctors and the LawyersFeb 28 – Strange Roux with Sarah Ferguson

March 14 – Against GraceMarch 17 – Baak Gwai and Couches St Patrick's day Show!

March 21 – Liz BrasherMarch 26 – Kristen Cothron & The Darkside

March 27 – Rapanui

SSCC's Terrific Tuesday Schedule


>>> RESTAURANTS | W H E R E T O E A T I N T U S C A L O O S A

BREAKFAST / LUNCHBrown Bag9425 Jones Road | northport // 333.0970its speciality, fried green tomatoes, joins barbecue plates and fish filets on an extended list of meats and vegetables.tues 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Wed-sat 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

City Cafe408 main ave | Downtown northport // 758.9171Established in 1936. Big on food, low on price. open for breakfast and lunch. Historic downtown northport. closed weekends.

CountryPride Restaurant3501 Buttermilk Rd // 554.0215www.ta.travelcenters.comBreakfast 24 hours. lunch and Dinner buffet.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store4800 Doris pate Dr | Exit 76 // 562.8282www.crackerbarrel.com

International House of Pancakes724 skyland Blvd // 366.1130

Jack's1200 Hackberry lane | tuscaloosa // 345.1199

Maggie's Diner1307 ty Rogers Jr. ave | tuscaloosa // 366.0302

Mr. Bill's Family Restaurant2715 mcfarland Blvd | tuscaloosa // 333.9312

Panera Bread1800 mcfarland Blvd *402 | tuscaloosa // 366.8780

Quick Grill1208 university Blvd | the strip | tuscaloosa // 342.0022

Rama Jama’s1000 Bryant Dr // 750.0901closest restaurant to Bryant-Denny stadium.

Sweet Home Food Bar2218 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 764-9346 Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Waysider1512 Greensboro ave // 345.8239open for breakfast and lunch. smoke free.

MEXICANChipotle Mexican Grill1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 391.0140www.chipotle.com

Don Rafa's2313 4th street | temerson square // 345.9191

El Mariachi3520 mcfarland Blvd E |tuscaloosa // 409-8585

El Rincon (2 locations)1225 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 366.08551726 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 330.1274

Fernando's Mexican Grill824 mcfarland Blvd E | northport // 205.331.4587

Iguana Grill1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 752.5895

Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill2001 new Watermelon Rd | northport // 342.3378

LaGran Fiesta9770 Hwy 69 s // 345.8871

Los Calientes Mexican Grill3429 mcfarland Blvd E // 553.1558

Los Tarascos (2 locations)1759 skyland Blvd // 553.88963380 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 330.0919

Margarita's Grill1241 mcfarland Blvd E // 343.0300

Moe’s Southwest Grill (2 locations)2330 mcfarland Blvd E // 342.14871130 university Blvd // 752.0234moes.com

Pepito’s (2 locations)1203 university Blvd | the strip // 391.90281301 mcfarland Blvd nE // 391.4861

Taco Mama2104 a university Blvd, tuscaloosa409.8173 FINE DININGChuck’s Fish508 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 248.9370monday - thursday 5-10 p.m. and friday - saturday 5-11 p.m. steak, seafood, & sushi specialities. Daily specials: monday - $20 Bottles of Wine; tuesday - ladies night 1/2 off Domestic Beer and House Wine, select $5 martinis, $2 off select sushi Rolls for Everyone; uptown Wednesday - $6 uptown shrimp; featured cocktails and $20 Bottles of Wine. Cypress Inn501 Rice mine Rd // 345.6963fax: 345.6997 | www.cypressinnrestaurant.com2003 Restaurant of Distinction. Beautiful riverfront location.steaks, seafood and more with southern flavor. Wine list,full bar. specialities of the house include shrimp cypress innand smoked chicken with white barbecue sauce. Kid friendly. closed saturday lunch. mike spiller is featured the firstthursday of every month. Happy Hour- mon-fri from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. featuring 1/2 price appetizers. $2 Domestic Draft Beers and $3 Well cocktails.

Epiphany Cafe19 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 344.5583“new american cuisine” with a strong emphasis on localproduce, organic meats, and sustainable seafood. the menuis always changing and features include an extensive wine list, a large vibrant bar and martini lounge area, as well as patio seat-ing. Reservations are available online at epiphanyfinedining.com or through open table. Hours: mon–sat 5 p.m. - until

Evangeline’s1653 mcfarland Blvd. north // 752.0830located in the tuscaloosa Galleria. 2004 West alabamatourism award Winning Restaurant. american Eclecticcuisine. lunch: mon–fri 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: tues–sat 5 p.m. - until... fall: saturday Brunch.

FIVE Bar2324 6th street. // 205.345.6089a restaurant/bar based on simplicity. We offer 5 entrees, 5 red wines, 5 white wines, 5 import beers, 5 domestic, and 5 signature cocktails, to go along with our full liquor bar.Dinner: sunday - thursday 5-10; friday and saturday 5-12lunch: friday and saturday 11-3; sunday Jazz Brunch: 10-3five-bar.com; 205.345.6089

Kozy’s3510 loop Road E | near Va medical center // 556.4112Great locally-sourced foods and live piono music on the week-ends. |killionrestaurants.com/kozys/

Twin3700 6th st, tuscaloosa in tuscaloosa country club | 758-7528 | http://twinpowersactivate.comcertified usDa prime steaks; specialty sushi and cocktails. Hours: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.; 5 – 10 p.m. JAPANESEBenkei Japanese Steak House1223 mcfarland Blvd // 759-5300Hours: mon–thurs 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. | fri–sat 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Bento Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar1306 university Blvd // 758.7426

Hokkaido Japanese Restaurant607 15th street open sunday through thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and friday and saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Ichiban Japanese Grill & Sushi502 15th street // 752.8844

Tokyo Japanese Steak & Sushi Bar6521 Hwy 69 s | Hillcrest center // 366.1177offers steak, seafood, tempura, teriyaki and sushi. includingcooking at your table, if you choose. sun–thurs 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. fri & sat 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Kobe Steak House1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 759-1400lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.sat & sun 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. ITALIANAvenue Pub405 23rd avenue

Broadway Pizzeria2880 Rice mine Road northeast tuscaloosa, // 391.6969

DePalma’s Italian Cafe2300 university Blvd, Downtown // 759.1879menu ranges from sanwiches to finer pasta dishes and pizza.Varied beer and wine selection.Hours: mon–thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.www.depalmascafe.com

Little Italy1130 university Blvd. | tuscaloosa // 205.345.4343

Mellow Mushroom2230 university Blvd // 758.0112pizzas, calzones, hoagies and more. open dailyfor lunch and dinner. www.mellowmushroom.com

Mr. G’s908 mcfarland Blvd n | northport // 339-8505

Olive Garden2100 mcfarland Blvd E // 750-0321open daily from 11 a.m.www.olivegarden.com CASUAL DININGAvenue Pub405 23rd avenue // tuscaloosathe pub offers a different menu for brunch, lunch, and dinner. feature foods include pineapple french toast, pork sliders, and a house burger which changes daily. the drink menu features specialty cocktails, local pints, bottled beer, and wine. Monday through Friday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Saturday Noon – 11 p.m., Sunday Noon p.m. – 9 p.m.

Big Daddy’s Cafe514 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 759.9925

The Blue Plate Restaurant (Was Northport Diner)450 mcfarland Blvd, northport // 462-3626

Brumfield's Restaurant4851 Rice mine Road | Tuesday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri-day - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Sunday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Buddy’s Ribs & Steaks2701 Bridge ave | northport // 339.4885

Buffalo Wild Wings2710 mcfarland Blvd // 523.0273mon–Wed 11 a.m. - midnight | thurs–sat 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Chicken Salad Chickthe shoppes at midtown & Essex square, northport | said to be the very best chicken salad that can be found anywhere. www.

>>> BEER REVIEW | B R E T T R E I D

when there are so many other things you could do to a dark beer to make it amaz-ing. All that aside, everything is very well represented and in nice volumes. Not one thing is too overpowering and I really appreciate that. I wish I understood why more people aren’t talking about this beer, because it’s really everything you could want in a stout style brew.

Mouthfeel in one word is amazing; this is how a stout should be. This is seriously one of the creamiest stouts I’ve ever had the pleasure of trying and I can guarantee, on this fact alone, that it won’t be my last. There is the perfect amount of carbonation and with 5.7% ABV, you taste zero alcohol on the palate, but you still get that heaviness in your stomach. This is really what stout dreams are made of.

This is something that you only come across very rarely. Everything in this beer was exactly where it should be and executed with precision. I stand behind Duck Rabbits claim of being the dark beer specialist, because they really do know what they’re doing. Was the best stout I’ve ever drunk? No. Was this something that people rave about? No. Is this a beer that should be talked about more? Absolutely. It’s just a good beer that needs to get more recognition. It’s not taking the place of any of my favor-ites, but I always have room for more. I’ll be suggesting this one to my friends in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, because this is one that you really just need to try. If you’re still on the fence about this style, swing by Loosa Brews in Tuscaloosa or Hop City in Birmingham and snag a six-pack of this. It’s good beer that’s done really well, and that’s all you can really say about it. Hope you enjoy!

DUCK-RABBIT // EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN A STOUTI usually enjoy winter, but

after the one we’ve had this year, I can’t wait for some warmer tempera-tures. Then again, I say that now, but probably two weeks into summer, I’ll be asking for highs in the 40s to be back. Either way, we all know that cold weather calls for a cold weather beer. My preferred style is a nice, heavy milk stout. I want something that’s go-ing to warm my body and fill my stomach. A problem with a lot of “full-bodied” stouts that I find all too common is that they don’t really deliver on that prom-ise. They all seem pretty weak after trying to pack in as much creaminess and chocolate as they can, but, hey, some people like that, I guess. Aside from all of that, there is a brewery that has recently entered into the Alabama market with draught and more recently started distrib-uting packaging, and they just so happen to have a beer that sooths my winter weather woes. Duck Rabbit Brewery from Farmville, NC prides itself on being the dark beer specialist in hopes that it sepa-rates them from other breweries. Well, that hard work is paying off; because the Duck Rabbit Milk Stout was undoubtedly one of the better beers I’ve had this sea-son. Here are my thoughts on this oddly named and well-executed milk stout.

I received this beer in a 12 oz bottle, which I poured into a pint glass and pre-sented a pitch black color, with a small amount of caramel-colored head that dis-solved pretty quickly, but left some pretty thick lacing on the glass. Once poured, a really nice bouquet of roasted malt and chocolate hit my nose and paired with some coffee notes on the back end. I’ll be honest; this one had me slightly wor-ried, because I had yet to hear anything about it. I usually hear some things online and some other people I know talking about new stuff and I’m always getting suggestions on what to try, but no one had mentioned anything about this beer, and I’m not sure why. I was pretty much in for the long haul after only smelling the beer.

Upon taking the first sip, you get a lot of great roasted malt up front that really sets the tone for how this one is going down. As you progress through, you get some mild bitterness from the dark chocolate, but that is quickly changed into a really great caramel sweetness and vanilla. Some slight notes of coffee round out the palate and really tie every-thing together. It’s that signature coffee flavor that I find a lot of dark beers try to harp on and end up making it focal point


Per the bottle, the alcohol content was 14.5% and the fruit came from Men-docino County, California. Wines That Rock has five different wines in the series, with the Grateful Dead wine be-ing one of them.

Having recently reviewed the Wines That Rock Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon Red, I was suprised at the significant difference in enjoyability of the Greatful Dead wine. According to the wine’s website, the Grateful Dead wine was made “…from premium Mendocino County fruit, blending a one-of-a-kind wine with Rock ‘n Roll mythology.”

Let’s start with the positives. The cork was in great shape and the wine exhibited a dark and deep plum color. The legs were many and thick in the glass. The nose was aromatic with cherry and black rasberry notes.

OK, on to the taste, mouthfeel and finish. The taste of this wine was bitter and of pepper and green melon skin. The pepper wasn’t so bad. In fact, the bottle advertised “peppered bacon” as a flavor to watch for. But, definitely no bacon. I would know, I love bacon.

The mouthfeel was like yarn. Not pleasant. The finish was short, but even that was too long. Bitter tannins that reminded me of stems.

Overall, I was very suprised at how much I did not enjoy this Grateful Dead wine. It’s possible I got a bad bottle, but I’m not going to give this one an-other try.

chickensaladchick.com

Chili’s1030 skyland Blvd | near mcfarland mall // 750.8881fax: 758.7715 // www.chilis.com

Dave’s Dogs1701 mcfarland Blvd E | university mall // 722.2800

Five Guys Burgers & Fries1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 391.0575www.fiveguys.com

Glory Bound Gyro Company2325 university Blvd // 349-0505Glory Bound Gyro company is a unique restaurant that focuses on great food and service in a funky, fun-filled atmosphere.open mon-thu: 11am - 10pm | fri - sat: 11am-10pm |sun: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Heritage House700 towncenter | northport // 758.0042open mon-fri 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Hooligan’s1915 university Blvd // 759.2424from hamburgers to hummus. open daily 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Horny's508 Red Drew ave | tuscaloosa // 345.6869mon 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. | tues-thurs 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.fri 11 a.m. - 3 a.m. | sat 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.new orleans style atmosphere in the heart of tuscaloosa onthe strip. Horny's offerings include a full liquor bar, beer, anda variety of classic american food. Horny's Bar and Grill offers a limited late night menu from 1:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.

Logan's Roadhouse1511 skyland Blvd E // 349.3554

Madear’s1735 culver Road // 343.7773mon–fri 6 a.m. - 5 p.m. | 2nd & 3rd sunday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Mugshots Grill & Bar511 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 391.0572Great burgers & sandwiches. unique setting, full service bar,veggie entrees, kid friendly, and open latewww.mugshotsgrillandbar.com

Newk’s Express Cafe205 university Blvd. East // 758.2455fax: 758.2470 // www.newkscafe.coman express casual dining experience in a refreshing andstylish atmosphere. serving fresh tossed salads, oven bakedsandwiches, california style pizzas and homemade cakes fromnewk’s open kitchen. sun–Wed 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | thurs–sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

O’Charley’s3799 mcfarland Blvd // 556.5143open daily for lunch, dinner and sunday brunchwww.ocharleys.com

Panera Bread1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 366.8780www.panerabread.com

Piccadilly Cafeteria1701 mcfarland Blvd E | university mall // 556.4960www.piccadilly.com

Quick Grill1208 university Blvd | the strip // 342.0022www.bamaquickgrill.com

Ruby Tuesday (2 locations)6421 interstate Drive | cottondale // 633.3939Just off i-20/59 at exit 77. near Hampton inn and microtel inn311 merchants Walk | northport // 345.4540www.rubytuesdays.com

Ryan’s4373 courtney Dr // 366.1114near marriott courtyard and fairfield inn Sitar Indian Cuisine500 15th st // 345-1419

Southland Restaurant5388 skyland Blvd E // 556.3070steaks, chops and home-cooked vegetablesmon–fri 10:45 a.m. - 9 p.m.

T-Town Café500 14th street, tuscaloosa | 759-5559 |www.ttowncafe.co mon - fri: 5 a.m. - 9 p.m., sat: 5 a.m. - 3 p.m. sun: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Tacogi500 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 342.3647

Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company1014 7th ave. | tuscaloosa // 764.1976over 160 craft beers.tue. - thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; fri - sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. large selection of decadent desserts.

Zoe’s Kitchen312 merchants Walk // 344.4450a wonderful selection of Greek foods

SPORTS GRILLBaumhower's Wings of Tuscaloosa500 Harper lee Drive | catering-pick-up tuscaloosa //556.5858 | always fresh and always fun. owned by former ua/miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. Kid friendly

Buffalo Phil’s1149 university Blvd | the strip // 758.3318sports grille with tVs galore. Diverse beer and wine selection, full barBilly's Sports GrillHistoric Downtown northport / 879.2238Good food, beverages and family friendlyMonday through Wednesday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. till 9 p.m. (Sunday Brunch 10:30am-3pm).

Buffalo Wild Wings2710 mcfarland Blvd. East | tuscaloosa // 523.0273sports grille with tVs galore. Diverse beer and wineselection, full bar

Champs Sports Grille320 paul Bryant Drive | inside four points sheraton Hotel // 752.3200Breakfast and lunch buffets. sunday brunch 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Hooter’s5025 oscar Baxter Dr | next to Jameson inn // 758.3035Wings, clams, shrimp and of course the Hooters Girlswww.hooters.com

Innisfree Irish Pub1925 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 345.1199

Moe's BBQ101 15th street | Downtown tuscaloosa // 752.3616mon-sat 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.Bar open until 2 a.m., 3 a.m. on fridays

Mugshots Grill & Bar511 Greensboro ave // 391.0572Great burgers. full service bar. open late.www.mugshotsgrillandbar.com

Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company1014 7th ave. | tuscaloosa // 764.1976over 160 craft beers.tue. - thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; fri - sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. large selection of decadent desserts

Wilhagan’s2209 4th st | Downtown tuscaloosa // 366.0913

Wings U 1800 mcfarland Blvd East suite 218 | pick-up tuscaloosa // 561.3984 features the first coal-fired pizza oven in alabama. owned by former ua/miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. completely open concept! www.wingsu.com

WingZone1241 mcfarland Blvd E | tuscaloosa // 342.2473

BARBEQUEArchibald & Woodrow's BBQ4215 Greensboro ave | tuscaloosa // 331.4858mon-sat 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | sun lunch

Bama BBQ & Grill3380 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 333.9816

Dickey's BBQ (3 locations)9770 alabama 69; midtown; and 13544 Hwy 43 north at Rose Blvd. in northport. texas Barbecue. | 344.65001800 mcfarland Blvd, midtown Village, tuscaloosa. | 758-113313544 Hwy 43 north, Winn Dixie shopping center, northport. | 330-1147

Dreamland (2 locations)5535 15th ave | tuscaloosa // 758.8135101 Bridge ave | northport // 343.6677the legend. on game day, get there early if you want to makekickoff. seating is limited. Hours: mon–sat 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. | sun 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Hick’s BBQ4400 fayette Hwy // 339.3678 // tues–sat 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Moe's Original BBQ2101 university Blvd.. // 752.3616serving up an award-winning, all things southern BBQand live music experience. come dine-in or sit on thepatio and enjoy some great Que, beers, whiskey, and livemusic on thursday-saturday. Roll tide!mon–sat 11am - 10pm | Bar service mon-sat 2am andfri -3am | Kitchen closes at 10pm

Pottery Grill (2 locations)Highway 11 | cottondale // 554.18153420 alabama 69 | northport // 333.5848menu: thepotterygrill.comawesome barbecue. the pottery Grill serves up everything from pork, chicken, ribs and sausage to burgers, hot dogs and salads. take-out and catering available.

Tee’s Ribs and Thangs1702 10th avenue // 366.9974 |11 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily

STEAKSLogan’s Roadhouse1511 skyland Blvd | next to sams // 349.3554steaks, ribs and spirits

Longhorn Steakhouse1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 345-8244 #412

New Orleans Steak and Seafood House 824 McFarland Boulevard |11:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. daily. 248-7666

Nick's In the Sticks4018 culver Rd | tuscaloosa // 758.9316a long-time tuscaloosa tradition.Good steaks at a reasonable pricetry a nicodemus if you have a designated driver.

Outback Steakhouse5001 oscar Baxter Dr // 759.9000

Twin Restaurant3700 6th street |tuscaloosa | 758-7528 a full service restaurant specializing in sushi, prime steaks, made fresh daily pasta, and whiskey oriented cocktails. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. // former tuscaloosa country club

SEAFOODChuck’s Fish508 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 248.9370monday - thursday 5-10 p.m. and friday - saturday 5-11 p.m. steak, seafood, & sushi specialities. Daily specials: monday - $20 Bottles of Wine; tuesday - ladies night 1/2 off Domestic Beer and House Wine, select $5 martinis, $2 off select sushi Rolls for Everyone; uptown Wednesday - $6 uptown shrimp; featured cocktails and $20 Bottles of Wine.

>>> RESTAURANTS | W H E R E T O E A T I N T U S C A L O O S A ( C O N T . ) >>> WINE REVIEW | J O N R O G E R S

ROCK N' ROLL WINES // PINK FLOYD DARK SIDE // GRATEFUL DEAD'S STEAL YOUR FACE

More wine reviews by Jon Rogers at www.honestwinereviews.com

As passionate wine lovers and die-hard music fans, Wines That Rock

has created its own category in the wine industry: “Great Tasting Wines Inspired by Music”, according to their website. Wine and Music: with clas-sic tracks from Grate-ful Dead, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd,

The Police, and The Woodstock Festi-

val blasting in the cellar, Wines that Rock's wine-maker crafted custom wines for each of these legendary artists and their timeless albums—blend-ing one-of-a-kind wines with Rock ‘n Roll mythology.I decided to re-search this wine after I tasted it, so as not to impact my honest tasting. I wasn’t expecting it to pour so dark. It reminded me of a robust Zinfandel.

In the glass, the color of Pink Floyd wine is very deep and dark. The legs easily suspended on the side of the glass with plenty of hang time. I also noticed bubble sheet suspension, similar to some Oregon Pinots I’ve reviewed previously.

I found the aroma to be earthy and fruit forward with sub-tones of black cherry and damp hemlock forest. Defi-nitely enjoyable and it gave a nod to the complexity this wine holds.

The taste was of cherry and black raspberry. Slightly on the dry side, but not a show stopper. The flavors were well balanced, smooth and round. You could tell the Pink Floyd wine was a blend and that was OK by me.

The finish was smooth and silky with noticeable but well behaved tannins that I sensed more on my tongue than on the sides of my mouth.

Overall, Pink Floyd wine is very enjoyable. Honestly, when I saw it in the store I thought it might be a gim-mick. However, when I saw that it was on the top of Amazon’s wine list, I de-cided to give it a try. I think you should too. Great wine, unique labeling and would make a great gift or conversation starter at a party. Recommend!

Grateful Dead Wine Steal Your Face

This wine had the mouthfeel of Gerry Garcia’s hair. Yuck! Part of the

Wines That Rock series, this wine was the Grateful Dead Wine red blend 2010.


>>> RESTAURANTS | W H E R E t o E a t i n t u s c a l o o s a ( c o n t . )

New Orleans Steak and Seafood House 824 McFarland Boulevard |11:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. daily. 248-7666

Red Lobster2620 mcfarland Blvd // 553.8810mcfarland plaza shopping center

Tin Top Restaurant & Oyster Bar 4851 Rice mine Rd nE #460 // 462.3399mcfarland plaza shopping center & temerson square

Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company1014 7th ave. | tuscaloosa // 764.1976over 160 craft beers.tue. - thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; fri - sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. large selection of decadent desserts.

Wintzell’s Oyster House1 Bridge ave | northport // 247.7772casual riverfront diningsun–thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | fri–sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

CHINESEBuffet City1747 skyland Blvd E // 553.3308all you can eat buffet. open 7 days a week.

Chang’s Chinese Restaurant1825 mcfarland Blvd n // 391.9131China Fun2600 university Blvd | alberta city // 553.2435

China GardenHwy 69 s | Hillcrest center // 758.0148

Chongwah Express1425 mcfarland Boulevard, northport. 333-1088

Hot Wok Express6751 alabama 69, tuscaloosa // 758.0148

Lee Palace6521 Highway 69 s // 391.9990open daily 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Mr. Chen's Authentic Chinese Cooking & Oriental Market514 14th st. | in the oz music shopping center //343.6889 // open sun - thu 11am - 9pm,fri & sat 11am - 9:30pm

Pearl Garden2719 lurleen Wallace Blvd | northport // 339.0880

Peking Chinese Restaurant1816 mcfarland | northport // 333.0361open 7 days a week. super lunch and dinner buffet.Hours: sun–thurs 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Swen Chinese Restaurant1130 university Blvd | the strip // 391.9887

Trey Yuen4200 mcfarland Blvd E // 752.0088

ASIAN CUISINERuan Thai1407 university Blvd // 391.9973 | ruanthaituscaloosa.comExotic thai cuisine. offers vegetarian options, outdoor dining,and a full bar. sushi on thursdays. lunch: mon–sat 11 a.m. -2 p.m. | Dinner: mon–thurs 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. fri & sat 5 p.m. -10pm | sun 11 a.m. -3 p.m.

Surin of Thailand1402 university Blvd // 752.7970authentic thai restaurant and sushi bar. open daily.lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.www.surinofthailand.com

PIZZA AND SUBSA Taste Of Chicago1700 Greensboro avenue 205-342-DoGsmon. - thurs. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; fri. - sat. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.17th street and Greensboro avenue. authentic chicago style foods. italian Beef sandwiches, chicago Rib tips, and chicago style pizza.

California Underground13552 Highway 43, northport | 339.8660

Firehouse Subs1130 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 248.0680

Hungry Howie’s (2 locations)1105 southview ln | south tuscaloosa // 345.60001844 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 333.26331211 university Blvd | tuscaloosa | the strip // 366.15004851 Rice mine Rd | northriver/Holt // 345.3737

Lenny’s Sub Shop220 15th st // 752.7450fax: 752.7481 // www.lennys.com

Little Caesars Pizza1414 10th ave // 366.2220 | 1www.littlecaesars.com

Little Italy1130 university Blvd. // 345.4354

Mellow Mushroom2230 university Blvd | Downtown tuscaloosa // 758.0112

Subs n' You2427 university Blvd. | tuscaloosa // 205.758.0088

Roly Poly Sandwiches2300 4th street | tuscaloosa // 366.1222

The Pita Pit1207 university Blvd | the strip // 345.9606Hours: mon–sat 10:30 a.m. - 3 a.m. | sun 11:30 a.m. - midnight

Pizza 12050115th st. East | 561.6853

Pizza Palace Buffet6521 alabama 69 | 752.5444Tut’s Place1306 university Blvd | the strip // 759.1004

DELICATESSENHoneybaked Ham Company421 15th st. E // 345.5508www.honeybaked.com

Jason’s Deli2300 mcfarland Blvd // 752.6192fax: 752.6193 // www.jasonsdeli.comlocated in the meadowbrook shopping center.

Jimmy John’s (3 locations)1400 university Blvd | the strip // 366.36991875 mcfarland Blvd n | northport // 752.7714815 lurleen B. Wallace s | tuscaloosa // 722.2268Delivery 7 days a week.www.jimmyjohns.com

Manna Grocery & Deli2300 mcfarland Blvd E | tuscaloosa // 752.9955

McAlister’s Deli (2 locations)101 15th st | tuscaloosa // 758.00393021 tyler Dr | northport // 330.7940sandwiches, salads and spudswww.mcalistersdeli.com

Momma Goldberg’s Deli409 23rd ave // 345.5501www.mommagoldbergs.com

Newk's205 university Blvd E | tuscaloosa // 758.2455

Schlotsky’s Deli405 15th st. E // 759.1975schlotskys.com

Which Wichuniversity Blvd.// Downtown tuscaloosa // mon – sat 10:30 – 9 // sunday 11 – 7 // fun atmosphere,fresh ingredients, great sand-wiches. 764.1673

COFFEE SHOPBarnes & Noble1800 mcfarland Blvd E | tuscaloosa349.6366

Chloe's Cup2117 university Blvd.| tuscaloosa // 764.0218

Crimson Cafe International Coffee House & Gourmet Deli1301 university Blvd | the strip // 750.0203mon–fri 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. | sat & sun 8 a.m. - 11 p.m.thecrimsoncafe.com

Five Javacoffee, fresh juices, smoothies and treats from mary's cakes. open monday - saturday at 7am; 9am on sundays

Heritage House700 towncenter | northport // 758.0042open mon-fri 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Krispy Kreme Doughnut1400 mcfarland Blvd // 758.6913www.krispykreme.com

Starbucks (2 locations)1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 343.24681901 13th ave East | inside super target // 462.1064starbucks.com

DESSERTSCelebrations Bakery, Inc.1832 mcfarland Blvd n | northport // 339.3221fax: 349.1945

Cold Stone Creamery1130 university Blvd. | tuscaloosa //343.1670specializes in customized ice creamHours: mon–thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.sun 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Dunkin' Donuts2520 stillman Blvd. |tuscaloosa// 349.3400mccorvey Dr. | tuscaloosa // 348.4041www.dunkindonuts.com

Mary's Cakes & Pastries412 22nd avenue | behind opus | northport // 345.8610www.maryscakesandpastries.common–fri 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. | sat 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Smoothie King (2 locations)415 15th street | tuscaloosa // 349.1721fax: 349.19451403 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 462.3664

Sweet CeCe's Frozen yogurt Treats2217 university Blvd. | Downtown tuscaloosa // 561.6458a fun and friendly make your own creation,yogurt experience!

TCBY (3 Locations)2304 mcfarland Blbd | meadowbrook shopping center //349.4661 // 2 mcfarland Blvd | northport | Essex shoppingcenter // 758.6855 // 1130 univ. Blvd. | the strip // 345.0804

Yogurt In Lovepatriot center 7402 Highway 69 southphone number: 764.9173 fax number: 764.9228monday-thursday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., friday & saturday 11 a.m.-10 pm.

TO HAVE YOUR RESTAURANT LISTED HERE PLEASE EMAIL [email protected]

>>> R E S T A U R A N T R E V I E W | C I N D Y H U G G I N S

THE SIMPLE PEASANT // DELICIOUS ONE-STOP SHOPWe are a purposely uncomplicated

cookery offering smoked meat, seafood market, Greek, butcher shop, fund-raising, and craft beer.” This is the description of a newly established restaurant, The Simple Peasant. Though reading the description, simple is the last adjective that comes to mind. Before the restaurant made its debut I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of the menu. Much like the description, the menu is an odd combination of pasta, seafood, and steak. The front reveals Italian favor-ites like pizza, lasagna, spaghetti, and Stromboli’s, while the back reveals a Greek burger and smoked pork entrees. My husband and I shared a moment of excitement and curiosity only to be followed by downright confusion. Our full dining experience did, however, present some clarity.

Heading eastbound, just through the Skyland and McFarland intersection, The Simple Peasant can be found adjoined to a Texaco gas station. This space was last home to The Oyster Bar. After realizing the actual location of the restaurant we pulled a quick U-turn and entered into the side parking lot obviously designated for their customers. The outside was cute and yes, simple. A wood panel finish differentiates the space from its shared retailer. Inside, the narrow and long space is solely for dining. The front of house has a small bar next to the cashier. The small area did provide ample seating for two or a family of ten. The theme of the restau-rant was indeed fitting. The atmosphere was lax and casual. We were greeted as soon as we walked in the door. The sweet employee asked our preference of a table or booth as she helped us to our seats. In addition to the somewhat haphazard menu, a second menu was presented showing the evening’s dinner specials.

Our waitress was very sweet and personable. Pepperoni and sausage pizza along with lasagna were the chosen entrees. While we waited for our food it was hard not to notice all of the odd décor, dull walls, and refurbished furniture. Let me take an aside. I have no issues with this, it is just not at all what I was expecting based off of the feedback I had received. The food was prompt and at first glance very impressive. Portions were too gener-ous and the aroma literally fooled us into believing we were in a full-service Italian eatery. The pizza was thin crusted with pepperoni slices and large pieces of Italian sausage. It was basic, simple ingredients that yielded savory bite. The lasagna was something special though. Normally, I pur-posefully ignore this dish because I tend to get a plate of layered pasta on top of pasta. This dish was different. The pasta sheets provided structure for the ricotta cheese, tomato sauce, and ground meat-to name a few. Underneath the pile of shredded moz-zarella, and Parmesan cheese was a block of lasagna that could feed a family of four.

Each ingredient popped with each bite (yes this was my husband’s meal). The food was absolutely delicious, but it was our conversation with co-owner Blake Miles, which sold me completely on The Simple Peasant.

After we finished our meal I requested to speak with the owner or manager. Mr. Miles came directly over to our table, introduced himself with a handshake and pulled up a chair. Sitting casually and completely relaxed, Miles approached the conversation as if we were all old friends. I openly admitted that the menu was a tad odd and misleading. In response, Miles explained that he and his partner developed the menu with strategy in mind. “I’m breaking all of the rules I teach about menu development,” he said with a sly grin on his face. Miles is also a culinary instructor at Shelton State Community College. “The menu is always chang-ing,” he continued. Before finalizing a menu Miles and partner want to know the thoughts and opinions of their customers. The intense passion for this restaurants’ success beamed from Miles. To add to the “simplicity” of the business, a fresh market is open to all customers. Inside a small butcher display case is freshly cut fish, steak, sausage, seafood, and even their own cured meats. The seafood menu is impressive offering local live and cooked crawfish, crawfish tail meat, shrimp, crab meat, and more. Each can be ordered by the pound and prepared to the custom-ers liking. Miles even went on to say that if someone didn’t know how to prepare something he’d be more than happy to as-sist. The food alone would have of brought us back but more so, the community. I have a feeling this will be a place “where everybody knows your name.”

Visit The Simple Peasant at 5400 McFarland Blvd E Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Hours vary. Visit their Facebook page or call for inquiries.

Cindy Huggins is a registered dietitian nutritionist and local “foodie”. Tweet her @DietitianCindy

"


BACKROAD ANTHEM

>>> H E A LT H | R AC H E L S T E I N E R , D C

LIVING GREEN // IF IT'S GOOD FOR THE PLANET, IT'S GOOD FOR YOU

as a result of our lack of respect to our planet. How can we take small steps to do our part of living green in our daily living habits? Personally, I have incor-porated these simple things in my home to do my part and I hope you will do the same.

Ditch the bottled water! Not only is it a waste of money but also it is one of the largest contributors to landfills. Statistics show that there are currently 2 million tons of discarded water bottles alone in U.S. landfills and it takes over 1,000 years for them to biodegrade. The average American consumes 167 bottled water annually and if you figure per household, that is a huge number of bottles each year. Although in bulk, bottled water is relatively inexpensive, there are much cheaper and ecofriendly ways to get water. This year, invest in a water filter such as Brita or Pure. They are water pitchers with built in filters that you fill from your tap water. Buy your family some containers that are made from glass or a safe sturdy plastic such as Nalgene bottles. Nalgenes are shat-terproof water bottles that are made with a safe plastic, they will last you years! Make it fun! If you have kids, let them pick out their favorite color and have them decorate the bottle with their favor-ite stickers. Once you have a filter and bottles to use, you will never have to run to the store again for bottled water.

Start recycling! This is our planet and we have only one of them, so we need to take action to insure our future genera-tions have this planet to live on with all the wonderful natural resources we take for granted. Tuscaloosa offers many ways of recycling to make it easy to do so. The easiest way is curbside pick up, which is collected the same time as your trash day. If you use the city's garbage

An 8-year-old daughter once asked her father to start recycling. He

chuckled and asked, "Why?" She replied, "So you can help me save the planet." The father chuckled again and asked, "And why do you want to save the planet?" Because that's where I keep all my stuff," she said. I read this in an e-mail recently and it made so much sense. Kids usually say it best. Planet Earth is where we keep “our stuff” and if we want our future generations to continue to have this luxury, we must preserve and take responsibility of what we have. Landfills are overflowing with waste, which over time, release toxic gases. The most dangerous produced is methane gas, and as it builds up pres-sure, it begins to move through the soil and air.

What is really scary is some of our crops are grown with this contaminated soil. These toxins also leak out into fresh waterways, which ultimately end up in our homes as drinking water. Only a limited number of chemicals in drink-ing water are regulated or even scientifi-cally studied. Studies have shown that children living near these landfills have a significantly reduced growth rate and higher incidences of heart and lung disease in adults. Coincidence? Prob-ably not.

“Living Green” means to live life in a way that is friendly to the natural environment and sustainable for planet Earth. This includes contributing to maintaining the natural balance in the environment, and preserving the planet and its natural resources. This is done by taking action to minimize the harm we do to the environment on a daily basis resulting in a way of life. We have to take action now or our future genera-tions are going to face a lot of problems

services, a recycling bin and pickup is free of charge. If you do not use the trash services, there are also numer-ous places around town to drop off your recycling. A couple places where you can drop off recycling is Kmart on Mc-Farland, Alabama One Credit Union on 21st Street, and the McAbee Center on Loop Road. More locations for drop off can be found at www.tuscaloosa.com. You will be surprised how much of your trash is actually recyclable. Since we have started to recycle in my household, we fill a trash bag only about once every two weeks. The rest of our trash goes into recycling.

Eat Smart! Whenever possible, buy from local farmers or farmers' markets. Not only will your food be better qual-ity but you will keep your money in the local economy. Consider the amount of pollution created to get your groceries from a farm to your table. Buying local will reduce the amount of greenhouse gas created when food has to be flown or trucked in. Nowadays, it is not only things like sugar, coffee, chocolate, tea, and bananas that are shipped long distances. Fruits and vegetables that were once grown locally in household gardens and small farms are now being shipped into the United States from other countries. It is estimated that the average American meal travels 1500 miles to get from the farm to your plate. In order to transport food long distances, much of it is picked while still unripe and then gassed to “ripen” it after transport.

Produce is also lasting longer for trans-port through the use of preservatives and irradiation to keep it stable for a longer shelf life. What should really con-cern you is, scientists are experimenting with genetic modification to produce longer-lasting, less perishable produce. Remember, we are what we eat. When these preservatives and other chemicals are mixed in our food, they do not magi-cally go away when consumed.

Remember the Tuscaloosa River Market is every Saturday morning from 7 a.m. until noon and you can find everything from produce, meat, honey, sweets, teas, and much more.

These are small steps, easily taken, but remember nothing is going to hap-pen overnight. Have patience, perse-verance, and be of the understanding that we don't have to do anything huge or crazy to do our part, just keep it simple and keep it going.

Dr. Rachel Steiner is a Tuscaloosa area chiropractor.

EFFECTIVE ADSCONTACT

205.765.8007


>>> L E A R N I N G | A L A N A N O R R I S >>> T H E F L A T S C R E E N | C A R A B R A K E

"EMPIRE" // THE SHOW AND THE MUSIC

"Agent Carter"

Music-based television shows are becoming more and more popu-

lar, thanks to the rise of fiction shows like “Glee” and reality shows like “The Voice” and “American Idol”. Most of the time, however, they are all about pop and rock music, hardly about any other industry. One show that is airing aims to fix that.

“Empire” is about Lucious Lyon, the CEO of Empire Records, a hip-hop label. Lyon has to hold his company together, but his ex wife Cookie and their three sons are all after the position and ownership of the company. Lyon discovers that he is ill and will be bed ridden soon, and after that, the battle for the hot seat begins. Lyon battles his ex, and begins grooming his three sons to see who can take over after he’s incapacitated.

The show first aired in January, 2015, and it set a new record on FOX. “Empire” became FOX’s highest rated show in three years, topping a huge 9.8 million views in only its first season. In just five episodes, it rose to a 6.6 rating, its highest. It has already beaten a few shows, including “The Mentalist.”

The most interesting part, however, is not the plot or how popular it is. Just like its predecessors, “Empire” releases music from each episode on iTunes. Songs are currently listened by episode, but it is pretty easy to predict that there

SUPERHEROES FOR THE GIFTED STUDENT Shannon Colburn,

gifted specialist at Rock Quarry Elemen-tary, is teaching a unit with her gifted class on what being a hero really means by using popular superheroes like the Hulk and Superman to dem-onstrate chemistry and discuss flight. Students are responding favorably to the incorporation of their favorite superheroes in their classwork.

Special education is not what it used to be. Over time the education system has evolved, and gifted programs are focused on serving each student individually rather than only hav-ing them do extra work and tutor their classmates. Now, gifted classes offer a variety of activities to their students so that they have a well-rounded education that can be applied to life.

“It’s not just speeding up or adding an additional paper, we actually are chal-lenging their minds,” Director of Special Education Bruce Prescott said.

Gifted specialist David Merzbacher at Verner Elementary is working on a forensics unit using science and Sherlock mysteries. Policemen showed the stu-dents fingerprinting techniques. Students researched basic identification and chro-matography that will culminate in a crime scene investigation. The class asked to conduct a mock trial.

“You may be teaching one particular concept, one topic or something, and the kids come up with another idea and all the sudden you’re off in a different direction,” Merzbacher said.

Students have multiple talents and in-terests and cannot be expected to perform highly in all subjects just because they are gifted in one area. Enrichment educa-tion is tailored to the individual student by having them work in-depth on the subjects in which they excel. Now students get to choose which subjects interest them while building on what they learn in the general education classroom.

“It’s not your typical walking in and do-ing math problems on the board,” Prescott said. “It may be going in and building a roller-coaster and understanding the velocity and the force.”

Enrichment classes don’t use text-books, give grades or use a specific curriculum. Instead teachers mold their activities to the student’s interest inquiries, and students set goals to develop their own research plan.

“We teach with the Common Core standards, but we don’t have to adhere to them and [we] make sure we’ve addressed every single one for their grade,” Colburn said. “As we teach, we make sure we teach in a way that is supporting Common Core at the grade level or above.”

Gifted specialists use a guided scope

and sequence to address all areas of learning. The scope and sequence is a framework that recognizes the individual learning techniques that work for each student like critical thinking, creative think-ing, and social-emotional skills. Teachers focus on the whole child as an individual learner with individual needs.

“In gifted education you don’t address just the cognitive domain, it’s the affective domain as well, the child as a person,” Merzbacher said.

Students who have other identifications, such as autism, can also be gifted. Prescott served as a mentor at the Tuscaloosa Magnet School, helping a fifth grade class with a research project on how one of their classmates had autism and was gifted.

In Alabama, students are observed in second grade for gifted behaviors and screened for gifted eligibility. Dif-ferentiation support is offered through consultation from the gifted specialist for kindergarten through second grade, when students demonstrate higher-level academic performance.

Pull-out classes are offered from third through fifth grades. This means the students are taken out of their traditional classrooms for three hours a week to work with other gifted students. These grades are pivotal because they set the founda-tion of the child’s education. Educators want to support the students’ advanced needs at a young age to prevent boredom.

After fifth grade, pull-out programs usually end. This wasn’t always the case, but due to budget cuts there are not enough teachers on staff to support the programs. Of the six gifted specialists in Tuscaloosa City, Merzbacher and Colburn are the only two who stay in one school.

General education teachers in sixth through twelfth grade are made aware of their gifted students and receive mentor-ing help from gifted specialists. These students can choose elective classes and advanced placement core classes to con-tinue their gifted education. Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy offers courses to students in medical science, cosmetology, welding, engineering and an automotive program that connects students to Mercedes. Dual enrollment courses at local colleges and universities are offered for students to get ahead and graduate early.

will be a full album released. Unlike its predecessors, however, “Empire” does not list covers or remixes of songs already done. In the show, musicians mix and work on their own music, and the final products are released on iTunes as soon as the episode ends. This gives viewers a chance to feel more pulled into the story.

The show has also gotten rave reviews, including one from EW.com praising it for the depth of the show, be-yond just being about a record company and gives it an A- rating. Variety.com says that “Empire” will definitely grow to replace shows like “American Idol”, who have worn out their welcome. According to Variety, it goes right up next to the movie “Dream Girls” to show how ruth-less the music industry can really be.

The cast is led by Terrence Howard, who plays Lucious Lyon. Taraji P. Hen-son takes up the second leading role as Cookie, Lyon’s ex wife. Their sons are played by Trai Byers, Jussie Smollet, and Bryshere Grey. Other cast members include Gabourey Sidibe, Kaitlin Double-day, and Malik Yoba. The show was cre-ated by Lee Daniels and Danny strong.

“Empire” has already aired, with Epi-sode eight aired on Feburary 25. Those that want to catch up on the show can do so on FOX’s website. “Empire” airs every Wednesday at 9/8c on FOX.


>>> M O V I E R E V I E W | V A N R O B E R T S

KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE // COULD EASILY QUALIFY FOR "FIFTY SHADES OF BLOOD"

✭✭✭✭out of 4Imagine putting the James Bond movies

into a cinematic blender with the Austin Powers comedies, and you’ll see what British direc-tor Matthew Vaughn does with his outlandish movie “Kingsman: The Secret Service.” For the record, Vaughn made his first film as a director in 2004 with the murder-ous mobster melodrama “Layer Cake” (2004) starring Daniel Craig. Three years later he followed up “Layer Cake” with “Stardust.” This imaginative Neil Gaiman fantasy romance bore little resemblance to the gritty “Layer Cake.”

Vaughn didn’t come into his own until he adapted Mark Millar’s subversive graphic novel “Hit Girl” as the Nicolas Cage actioneer “Kick Ass.” This contro-versial revenge thriller about a dad and daughter who dressed like comic book super-heroes to destroy a dastardly gangster spawned a sequel. Vaughn’s biggest success came with the incom-parable Marvel Comics “X-Men” prequel “X-Men: First Class” about the costume-clad mutants in their youth during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Vaughn has recycled many of the themes and characters from those movies for his adaptation of Mark Millar’s graphic novel “Kingsman: The Secret Service” that features Colin Firth, Michael Caine, and Mark Strong. This uneven but entertain-ing homage to the James Bond movies provides an overdue departure from the usual formulaic, testosterone-laden fare that sacrifices wit and style for realism and gore. Mind you, Vaughn grinds his action gears during the early scenes as he sets up his improbable plot. Happily, he has everything running smoothly for an explosive finale. The big problem that Vaughn had to contend with in launching a new franchise was pairing relatively unknown actor Taron Egerton with veteran actor Colin Firth who rarely plays armed and deadly heroes. Mean-while, sympathetic heroes and treacher-ous villains tangle mercilessly in this larger-than-life, hyperbolic espionage escapade that could easily qualify as “50 Shades of Blood” for its sensational number of mind-blowing action scenes. Hundreds of thousands of people per-ish when an evil megalomaniac plans to solve overpopulation by implanting SIM cards into their heads, controlling their thoughts, and converting their cell phones into improvised explosive de-vices. “Kingsman: The Secret Service” qualifies as the kind of silly but stout, R-rated saga that might repel squeamish moviegoers.

Matthew Vaughn and his wife Jane Golden, who has collaborated on every film her husband has helmed except

“Layer Cake,” have adapted Mark Millar’s graphic novel with the same audacious abandon that they infused in “Kick Ass.” “Kingsman” concerns an independent, international espionage agency hidden behind the façade of an elite tailor's shop on London's Savile Row that operates at the highest level of discretion like “The Man from U.N.C.L.E” television series. This private outfit makes Navy SEALs look like second-rate shrimp. Indeed, if such an ultra-secret organization existed, world peace would be guaranteed. Latter day British knights of the realm with appropriate code-names like Lancelot and Galahad, these dudes cut dashing figures in their globe-trotting missions to preserve peace and solidarity. The cream of their crop, Harry Hart (Colin Firth), ranks as their top agent. He is at his best when he has little more than an umbrella to vanquish the villains. British actor Colin Firth, who plays the impeccably clad protagonist, has been acting since 1984, but he is known largely as a lightweight leading man in romantic comedies like “Mamma Mia!,” “Shakespeare in Love,” and “Bridget Jones’ Diary.” In 2007, he ventured out of his comfort zone and played an armor-clad knight in the above-average medieval swashbuck-ler “The Last Legion.” During one of Vaughn’s many impressively staged action set-pieces, Firth devastates a hatemongering Westboro-style church congregation in a no-holds-barred, free-for-all fracas.

As “Kingsman” unfolds, Harry Hart’s closest comrade, Lancelot (Jack Davenport), dies during a mission but saves Harry’s life. Predictably, Harry consoles Lancelot’s grieving widow and son. Understandably distraught by her husband’s mysterious demise, Michelle Unwin (Samantha Womack of “Breed-ers”) wants nothing to do with Kingsman. Nevertheless, Harry persuades her only son, Eggsy, to accept Lancelot’s medal inscribed with a phone number and a code word should he ever require help. Seventeen years later, as an underprivi-leged teen living in the projects, Eggsy finds himself in deep trouble. Our wild, impulsive hero steals an automobile belonging to a gang of loutish British

lads who have been badgering him. Commandeering their vehicle for a joy-ride, Eggsy careens through congested London traffic, driving the vehicle in reverse, with the police following him nose to nose, as he executes several complicated maneuvers. Vaughn excels with suspenseful scenes like this ca-reening car chase. Later, with nobody to help him, Gary ‘Eggys’ Unwin (new-comer Taron Egerton) contacts Harry. After Harry gets Eggsy out of the clink, he takes him for a tour of a local tailor’s shop that serves as a front for Kings-man. Since he feels guilty about the death of Eggys’ dad, Harry helps the lad compete with other candidates for the job-of-a-lifetime as a Kingsman. After surviving the gauntlet of an incredible obstacle course, Eggys stands poised to become a top agent who can match wits and swap fists with either James Bond or Jason Bourne. Unfortunately, our hero commits some interesting mistakes before he can redeem himself in the eyes of the Kingsman and save the world.

Samuel L. Jackson steals the show as goofy looking, Internet billionaire philanthropist Richmond Valentine. Adopting with a quirky lisp, Jackson wears his baseball cap askew like a

gangsta. Clearly, Valentine represents Jackson’s best performance since “Pulp Fiction.” Although the tongue-in-cheek Jackson overshadows handsome Harry Hart and his unusual arsenal of weap-ons, Valentine’s number one henchman--perhaps ‘henchm’am would be better--is a gravity-defying dame equipped with razor-sharp, 'Flex-Foot Cheetah' blade feet, who slices up her adversar-ies like deli meat. Nothing can prepare you for Algerian dancer Sofia Boutella of “StreetDance 2” when she performs her breathtaking acrobatic feats in a variation on Oddjob and his razor sharp bowler hat from the Bond groundbreaker “Goldfinger.” Altogether, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” amounts to amus-ing but polished nonsense.


Meet Isaac, a two-year-old male Span-iel/Terrier mix. He has a handsome

tri-color coat of white, black and tan mark-ings. Isaac is a small dog, weighing only 15 pounds. He was pulled from our local animal shelter, where he had been picked up by Animal Control and no one came to claim him. He had been down there almost a month, so it was time to get him out! Isaac is a terrier and has some energy and attitude! He will want to rule the roost! He should be fine in an apartment, as long as he gets daily walks. He will require a fenced yard if left unattended any outside. He seems to do fine with other dogs and with children over age 16. We have started his crate training. Isaac is up to date on his vet care, neutered,

heartworm negative and he is microchipped. He is on heartworm and flea/tick preven-tion. Isaac is a cute, sweet dog that needs some TLC so he’ll know not all humans give up on their pets! How can you resist that smile? If you are interested in giving Isaac the forever home he wants and deserves, visit the Humane Society of West Alabama at humanesocietyofwa.org or call us at 554-0011.

>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | T H E S O U T H E A S T ' S L A R G E S T

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKEWHEN: 7:30COST: $14 – 20 WHERE: Rowand-Johnson Hall, Stadium DrPHONE: 348.3400LINK: theatre.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: Vanya and Sonia spend their days taking care of their Cherry Orchard in Pennsylvania. But when movie star sister Masha and her BOY-TOY, Spike, show up, the family will never be the same! Called a love letter to Chekhov, this Tony Award–winning comedy will be a wild ride. Catch the show at the Marian Gallaway Theater in Rowand-Johnson Hall through Friday Feb 27.

ROCKIN’ & ROLLIN’WHEN: 6 – 8 p.m.COST: $7WHERE: 2200 Rock Quarry DrPHONE: 758.5195LINK: tcpara.orgDESCRIPTION: Bring your roller blades or skates to the Phelps Activity Center to join Tuscaloosa Parks and Recreation for a fun night of skating. Prizes, games and a live DJ are always part of the fun, and the first slice of pizza and snack are free!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28MARCHING TO SELMA: A NIGHT OF LISTENING, LEARNING, SINGING AND SHARINGWHEN: 8:30 – 11 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 620 Greensboro AvePHONE: 348.1926LINK: cac.tuscarts.comDESCRIPTION: Join us at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center as we welcome Charles Mauldin, former student leader of Selma marches and survivor of Bloody Sunday and Voting Rights March, as the keynote speaker. Students, faculty and adults from the University of Wash-ington, Bellevue College and Utah State University will join together with Alabama students, faculty and staff on a pilgrimage to Selma.

UAP AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH BOOK DISPLAYWHEN: All dayCOST: FreeWHERE: 711 Capstone DrPHONE: 348.0506LINK: lib.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: In honor of African American History Month, the University of Alabama Press (UAP) is proud to present a selection of UAP books about African American history and the civil rights movement. Working in collaboration with the University Libraries, the books will be on display inside the Capstone Drive en-trance of Gorgas Library during the month of February.

SUNDAY, MARCH 1THEATRE TUSCALOOSA PRESENTS ‘WIT’WHEN: 2 p.m.COST: $12 - 17WHERE: 9500 Old Greensboro Rd #135

PHONE: 391.2277LINK: theatretusc.comDESCRIPTION: Enjoy this this Pulitzer Prize-winning play at the Bean-Brown Theatre of Shelton State Community Col-lege. The starring role is Vivian Bearing, Ph.D., a renowned professor of English who spent years teaching the brilliant sonnets of John Donne. The play will be brought to life by Theatre Tuscaloosa veteran Drew Baker, so be sure to find time for the last day of this production, or purchase your tickets for any showing on Feb 27 – 28.

MUSIC STUDENT RECITALSWHEN: 1:30 – 9 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 810 2nd AvePHONE: 348.1672LINK: music.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: The University of Ala-bama School of Music presents the wide range of talented students that have been educated at the hands of the masters. Hear the performances Holly Kinsey, Michael Johnson, Carter Hanthorn, and Janet Buchanan in succession, or drop in on one performance at the Moody Music Building. Recitals start at 1:30, 3:30 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Please do not interrupt the performers by arriving late.

MONDAY,MARCH 2 MUSEUM MONDAYSWHEN: 3:30 – 5 p.m.COST: $8WHERE: 427 6th AvePHONE: 348.6383LINK: amnh.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: Come experience the Museum in a whole new way! Stomp around with dinosaurs, unearth rocks and minerals, and discover a host of other natural wonders. For K-2nd grade explor-ers. Registration is required. Call or email [email protected] to reserve your space today!

TUESDAY, MARCH 3TENNESSEE WILLIAMS: THE ALA-BAMA TRIBUTE AT THE MARIAN GAL-LAWAY THEATREWHEN: 7:30 – 9 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 348 Stadium DrPHONE: 348.3127LINK: art.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: Scholars Ed Williams of UA and Ken Holditch from the University of New Orleans talk about the friendship between the playwright and Marian Gal-laway with performances from Williams’s classic plays by UA actors directed by Allison Hetzel. You won’t want to miss this piece of Alabama and literary history.

HATHA YOGA WHEN: 6 – 7:10 p.m.COST: $9WHERE: 2200 Rock Quarry DrPHONE: 562.3230LINK: tcpara.orgDESCRIPTION: Learn relaxation tech-niques while increase your strength and flexibility. New classes begin every month. Bring your yoga mat any Tuesday or

SMILEY ISAAC // MELLOW MOE // SANDY'S A HUNK O' LOVE

>>> PET PLANET | K E L S E Y C A M E R O NNOTE: All events listed here have phone numbers in the 205 area code unless otherwise indicated.

This beautiful sweetheart is Moe, an adult female brown and white tabby. She's vet-

estimated to be under 5 years of age, maybe by a year or two. She has gigantic, gorgeous yellow eyes and a standout heart-shaped pink nose. So cute! Moe is a laid-back and mellow lady! Moe is gentle, and she would do well in a quiet household. She would also do well with gentle children. We aren't sure how well she'd do around dogs since she's never been around them. Moe would do well as an only pet or with another friendly cat or two. Moe can be a little curious! She likes explor-ing, climbing and finding "hidey spots" or cubby holes to peer out of. Stop in at our cat adoption center or contact us to meet Moe! She is negative for FIV and FeLK, current on vaccinations and spayed. If you are interest-ed in giving Moe the forever home she wants and deserves, visit the Humane Society of West Alabama at humanesocietyofwa.org or call us at 554-0011.

She ain't nothin' but a hound dog…and shepherd mix! Say hello to Sandy, a

3-year-old female Shepherd/Hound mix. Sandy has a black, tan and white smooth coat and hound-like floppy ears. She is a good-sized dog, weighing 46 pounds, and this is as big as she will get. Sandy was pulled from our local animal shelter, where she had been picked up as a stray by Ani-mal Control and no one came to claim her after several weeks down there. We just had to get this pretty girl out of there! Sandy is a great big ole hunk of love! She is so friendly and social. She gets excited for a bit, then settles down into a pretty easygoing lady. Sandy would make a great family pet and

should be fine with children ages 10 and up, just maybe not young ones due to her size if she jumps up on them. Sandy gets along well with other dogs and seems to be the submissive one in a pack. She is probably too big for an apartment, and she will require a fenced-in yard due to having some scent hound in her (she would take off). Sandy loves to be with you and rides great in the car. We have started on her crate training. Sandy is up to date on her vet care, spayed, heartworm negative and is microchipped. She is on heartworm and flea/tick prevention. What a great dog! Who will be her new lucky best friend?! If you are interested in giving Sandy the forever home she wants and deserves, visit the Humane Society of West Alabama at www.humanesocietyofwa.org or call us at 554-0011.


DRUID ARTS CEREMONY // BAMA THEATRE MARCH 12

>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | T H E S O U T H E A S T ' S L A R G E S T>>> T H E A R T S | K E V I N L E D G E W O O D

Thursday and join us for some calming ex-ercise. Register online for a whole month of sessions at just $36.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 EXPLORER WEDNESDAYSWHEN: 3:30 – 5 p.m.COST: $8WHERE: 427 6th AvePHONE: 348.7550LINK: amnh.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: Fossils, fish, and bugs-oh my! Come learn about science and history, and what makes Alabama the beautiful. For 3rd-5th grade explorers. Registration is required.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5KENTUCK ART NIGHTWHEN: 5 – 8 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 503 Main Ave, NorthportPHONE: 758.1257LINK: kentuck.orgDESCRIPTION: As on the first Thursday of every month, Kentuck opens its doors to visitors for a night of art, music, food and fun. Enjoy a live band, food from the cob oven, and the wonderful art of resi-dent Kentuck artists.

CIVIL RIGHTS TALK WITH JELANI COBBWHEN: 5 – 8 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 503 Main Ave, NorthportPHONE: 758.1257LINK: kentuck.orgDESCRIPTION: Please join the Fran-ces S. Summersell Center for the Study in Morgan Auditorium, as we welcome Jelani Cobb to the University of Alabama. Director of the Africana Studies Institute at the University of Connecticut, Professor Cobb is also a regular contributor to the New Yorker, a frequent commentator on CNN, NPR, MSNBC, and other national news outlets, and a prominent voice on the issues of race and the criminal justice system that constitute the leading edge of the modern civil rights movement. He will be speaking on the topic of “The Two Browns: Civil Rights in the Age of Fergu-son and Obama.”

FRIDAY, MARCH 6UA OPERA THEATRE: DON GIOVANNIWHEN: 7 – 10 p.m.COST: $20/$5 studentWHERE: 258 Kilgore LanePHONE: 348.1672LINK: music.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: The UA Opera Theatre is excited to collaborate with the Huxford Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Blake Richardson again to bring Mozart’s classic Don Giovanni to the Bryant-Jordan stage. This glorious masterpiece mixes comedy and poignant drama to tell the tale of Don Juan, the most famous libertine and se-ducer in literary history, and several of his scorned or angry conquests. The show will also be performed March 4 and 8.

SATURDAY, MARCH 7TUSCALOOSA RIVER MARKETWHEN: 7 a.m. – 12 p.m.COST: Free

WHERE: 1900 Jack Warner PkwyPHONE: 248.5295LINK: tuscaloosarivermarket.comDESCRIPTION: The Tuscaloosa River Market is now open every Saturday, year round! Come check out local farmers and artisans who have everything to offer from goat cheese to okra, from clay pottery to homemade candles. Discover baked goods, hand-stitched clothing, pickles, and organic tea all at one location along the Black Warrior River. Call to become a vendor and sell your own creations!

FERRET FUN DAYWHEN: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.COST: $6 – 9WHERE: 2213 University BlvdPHONE: 349.4235LINK: chomonline.orgDESCRIPTION: Come out to Children’s Hands-On Museum to celebrate Super Saturday with "Ferret Fun Day"! Bring your friends to meet LeLand and Lyla Fer-ret! There will be Ferret Crafts, Track the Ferret and make a Ferret Mask! All activi-ties are included in the cost of admission, and the whole family is welcome to join in.

MONDAY, MARCH 9PUPPY KINDERGARTENWHEN: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.COST: $125WHERE: 3500 McFarland BlvdPHONE: 562.3220LINK: tcpara.orgDESCRIPTION: These classes will al-low your puppy to build confidence and learn canine social etiquitte. They will be exposed to all kinds of people, situations and other dogs at an early age and are taught good behavior. Instructions will focus on puppies responding to his/her name, sit, down, polite greeting and bite inhibition. Session meets every Tuesday through April 28. Register online or call Northport Community Center.

YOGA THERAPYWHEN: 4 – 4:45COST: $9WHERE: 2200 Rock Quarry DrPHONE: 758.5195LINK: tcpara.orgDESCRIPTION: This class at the Phelps Activity Center is for persons with MS, back conditions, arthritis, senior adults or beginners who would like to take an adapted (gentle) yoga class. You may use a chair during the yoga class. Registration for multiple sessions is available online.

THURSDAY, MARCH 12HUXFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAWHEN: 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.COST: $10 general, $5/$3 discountWHERE: 810 2nd AvePHONE: 348.1672LINK: music.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: The season program for this talented ensemble includes works from the greatest composers: Symphonies by Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky, Lutoslawski’s epic Concerto for Orchestra, and Respighi’s thrilling Pines of Rome. Visit the Moody Music Building to enjoy a night of fine performance.

The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa will recognize artists, educators, volun-

teers and patrons of the arts at the 21st Druid Arts Awards on March 12, 2015 at the Bama Theatre. A reception honoring the winners and their families will be held at the theatre’s Greensboro Room at 6 p.m. with the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Admission is $10, and the deadline to purchase tickets in person or reserve by phone is March 2 at 5 p.m. Call 758-5195 for reservations or visit the Arts Council office at 600 Greensboro Avenue in the PARA Building.

In founding and perpetuating the Druid Arts Awards, The Arts Council realized that the number of talented and dedicated people who were working as volunteers, artists, educators and corporate sponsors was very large and growing. The Council also realized that the work of these indi-viduals as well as supportive businesses was not often publicly recognized. It was for this reason that the Druid Arts Awards were established, and it has become a bi-annual presentation to honor these special individuals who have achieved distinction in the arts over a number of years in Tuscaloosa County.

Three nominations—volunteer, artist, and educator—were requested from the community in each of the categories of music, visual arts, dance, literature and theatre. Nominations were also requested for Patron of the Arts, Corporate Sponsor, Tuscaloosa’s Home Grown and Special Awards. Tuscaloosa’s Home Grown was established to honor those native to Tuscaloosa who have become recognized in their field on a national/international level. Individuals or groups who have con-tributed to or supported the arts through actions outside of the aforementioned cat-egories are honored with a Special Award.

Nominations were presented by citizens of Tuscaloosa County, and a committee comprised of members of The Arts Council Board of Directors made the final selections.

"The Arts are an integral part of our

society, influencing our quality of life on a local, state and national level. We chose to honor these individuals for their valu-able personal contributions, both artistic and educational, that have impacted our lives with great beauty and creativity," noted Sandra Wolfe, Executive Director of The Arts Council.

2015 Winners:Patron of the Arts Award - Judi RabelCorporate Sponsor of the Year - Jamison Money FarmerSpecial Award - Ruth Jatib O’ConnorSpecial Award - Ron MontgomerySpecial Award - Brian Brooker / Ellis ArchitectsHome Grown Artist - Chuck TilleySpecial Lifetime Achievement - Sara TurnerMusic Volunteer - Dr. Elizabeth AversaMusic Educator - Paul HoughtalingMusician - Rob AlleyTheatre Volunteer - Tony AveryTheatre Volunteer - Richard LivingstonTheatre Educator - Adam MillerTheatre Artist - Drew BakerVisual Artist - Tony BrockVisual Arts Educator - Jamey GrimesVisual Arts Volunteer - Joanna JacobsDancer - Jayci KalbDance Educator - Alison HollingsworthDance Volunteer - Gail WindhamLiterary Artist - Jennifer Horn

Playwright Margaret Edson (L) with Judith (Judi) Rabel prior to a recent perfor-mance of Edson'sPulitzer Prize-winning W;T. Rabel is to be honored on March 12.


Fox Theatre660 Peachtree St NE 404.881.2100

The Hangout251.948.3030thehangout1.com

Marathon Music Works 1402 Clinton St615.891.1781

Minglewood Hall1555 Madison Ave901.312.6058

>>> R OA D T R I P D I R E C T O RY Travel the South's best venues. Visit their website for ticket info and more.

Acoustic Café2758 County Hwy 9205.647.3237

Amphitheater at the Wharf23101 Canal Rd251.224.1020

Bridgestone Arena501 Broadway615.770.2000

Centennial Olympic Park265 Park Ave W NW404.223.4412

Montgomery Performing Arts Center201 Tallapoosa St334.481.5100

The Nick2514 10th Ave S205.252.3831

Sloss Furnaces20 32nd St N205.324.1911

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre2200 Encore Pkwy

404.733.5010

Von Braun Center700 Monroe St SW256.551.2345

WorkPlay500 23rd St S205.380.4082

Zydeco2001 15th Ave S205.933.1032

>>> ROAD TRIP | s o u t H E a s t E R n co n c E R t s a n D E V E n t s

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26BIRMINGHAMLucero, Iron CityWhiskey Bent & John Popper, Zydeco

MONTGOMERYHarrison Anvil, Alley Bar

ATLANTASOJA, The MasqueradeStick To Your Guns, The MasqueradeFuture Islands, Variety Playhouse

NASHVILLEDavid Sedaris, TPAC-Andrew Jackson Hall

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27BIRMINGHAMCBDB, Zydeco

MONTGOMERYRadio Birds, War Eagle Supper Club

ATLANTAWillie Nelson, TabernacleLights, The MasqueradeAl Di Meola, Variety Playhouse

NASHVILLEMaroon 5, Bridgestone ArenaThe Punch Brothers, Ryman AuditoriumHarry Connick Jr, TPAC-Andrew JacksonKongos, Marathon Music WorksWho’s Bad, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom

NEW ORLEANSAugust Burns Red, House of Blues

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28BIRMINGHAMBenjy Davis, Zydeco

HUNTSVILLEJonathan Laird, Hard Dock Café

ATLANTAKathleen Madigan, Variety PlayhouseLogic, Center StageCorey Smith, Tabernacle

NASHVILLEDrew Holcomb and the Neighbors, Ryman Auditorium

NEW ORLEANSDiana Ross, Saenger Theatre

Lucero, Tipitina’s

SUNDAY, MARCH 1ATLANTAAbove and Beyond, Tabernacle

NASHVILLEChris Brown w/ Trey Songz and Tyga, Bridgestone ArenaLights, RocketownSturgill Simpson, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and GrillSam’s Place, Ryman Auditorium

NEW ORLEANSJazmine Sullivan, House of BluesHannibal Buress, The Civic Theater

MONDAY, MARCH 2 BIRMINGHAMKyle Kinane, Bottletree Café

MONTGOMERYRogue Skalla, Life Lounge

NASHVILLEThe Time Jumpers, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill

TUESDAY, MARCH 3BIRMINGHAMShpongle, Iron City

HUNTSVILLEThe Deslondes, Von Braun Concert Hall

NASHVILLEWillie Nelson, Ryman Auditorium

NEW ORLEANSKyle Kinane, Howlin’ Wolf

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4HUNTSVILLEElton John, Von Braun Concert Hall

ATLANTAJazmine Sullivan, Center StageAugust Burns Red, The Masquerade

NEW ORLEANSKevin James, Mahalia Jackson TheaterShpongle, The Civic Theater

THURSDAY, MARCH 5 BIRMINGHAM

Cole Swindell, Iron City

NASHVILLEGov’t Mule, Ryman AuditoriumGogol Bordello, Marathon Music Works

NEW ORLEANSAndy Grammer, House of Blues

FRIDAY, MARCH 6BIRMINGHAMLittle Big Town, BJCCBurn N’ Turn, Zydeco

HUNTSVILLEPeter and the Starcatcher, Von Braun Concert HallKozmic Mama, Lee Ann’s w/ CSB

ATLANTAChadwick Stokes, Vinyl

NASHVILLEGladys Knight, TPAC-Andrew JacksonBeth Hart, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill

NEW ORLEANSBayside, Tipitina’sGogol Bordello, House of Blues

SATURDAY, MARCH 7BIRMINGHAMGladys Knight, BJCCWaka Flocka Flame, ZydecoThe Aaron Neville Duo, Alys Stephens Center

HUNTSVILLEMonster Jam, Von Braun Concert Hall

MONTGOMERYBob Margolin, Capitol Oyster Bar

ATLANTAJJ Grey and Mofro, The Buckhead TheatreMar 7- Bush, Tabernacle

NASHVILLEmoe., Marathon Music Works

NEW ORLEANSKatt Williams, UNO Lakefront Arena

SUNDAY, MARCH 8BIRMINGHAMWillie Nelson, Iron CityHarlem Globetrotters, Samford University

MICHAEL THORNTON // MONTGOMERY // DECEMBER 22

HaVE YouR VEnuE anD EVEnts listED HERE fREE.

plEasE Email [email protected]

CBDB // BIRMINGHAM // FEBRUARY 27 JOURNEY // NEW ORLEANS // MARCH 8

ATLANTAHellyeah, Center Stage

NEW ORLEANSJourney and the Steve Miller Band, New Orleans ArenaBo Burnham, The Civic Theater

TUESDAY, MARCH 10BIRMINGHAMAesop Rock, ZydecoThe Lone Bellow, WorkPlay Theatre

MONTGOMERYVienna Boys Choir, Crosby Theatre

ATLANTAHozier, Variety Playhouse

NEW ORLEANSJohn Mellencamp, Saenger Theatre

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11NASHVILLESantana, Ryman Auditorium

THURSDAY, MARCH 12BIRMINGHAMJohn Mellencamp, BJCC

THE DESLONDES // HUNTSVILLE // MARCH 3CHADWICK STOKES // ATLANTA // MARCH 6

WRITERS WANTED

For Information, please email PlanetEditor@

yahoo.com


4th & 23rd //

1831 // 331-4632

Alcove // 469-9110

Bear Trap // 345-2766

Big Al's // 759-9180

The Booth // 764-0557

Buffalo Wild Wings // 523-0273

Capones // 248-0255

Carpe Vino // 366-8444

Catch 22 // 344-9347

Copper Top // 343-6867

Crimson Bar // 764-0185

Downtown Pub // 750-0008

Gallettes // 758-2010

Gnemis Top Shelf Tavern // 343-0020

Gray Lady // 469-9521

Harry's Bar // 331-4151

Houndstooth // 752-8444

Innisfree // 345-1199

Jackie's Lounge // 758-9179

The Legacy // 345-4848

Mellow Mushroom // 758-0112

Mugshots // 391-0572

Rhythm & Brews // 750-2992

Rounders // 345-4848

THURSDAY,FEBRUARY 26Nic Snow Acoustic, RoundersKaraoke / DJ ProtoJ, Rhythm & BrewsBaak Gwai, Green BarPlato Jones, Copper Top

FRIDAY,FEBRUARY 27Wayne Travick, Crimson BarVelcro Pygmies, Rhythm & BrewsPlato Jones and DJ Spinnzz, RoundersBlackwater Thieves / The Doctors and the Lawyers, Green BarMatt Bennett Band, Copper Top

SATURDAY,FEBRUARY 28Strange Roux with Sarah Ferguson, Green BarDoctors and Lawyers and DJ Blaze, RoundersMojo Trio, Rhythm & BrewsWthin Reason, Copper Top

TUESDAY,MARCH 3Plato Jones, Copper Top

WEDNESDAYMARCH 4Karaoke with DJ Argo, RoundersKaraoke / DJ ProtoJ, Rhythm & Brews

THURSDAY, MARCH 5Karaoke / DJ ProtoJ, Rhythm & BrewsCharlie Wilson, Copper Top

FRIDAY, MARCH 6Nic Snow Band and DJ Spinnzz, RoundersSoul Tide, Copper Top

SATURDAY, MARCH 7Sean Rivers Band and DJ Spinnzz, RoundersAxe to Grind, Copper Top

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11Karaoke with DJ Argo , Rounders

THURSDAY, MARCH 12DJ Spinnzz, Rounders

AFFORDABLE ADSCONTACT

[email protected]

>>> LO C A L B A R S

>>> LOCAL MUSIC | WHO'S PLAYING AROUND TOWN

HAVE YOUR LOCAL MUSIC EVENT LISTED FREE IN PLANET WEEKLY. JUST EMAIL

[email protected]

STRANGE ROUX // GREEN BAR // FEBRUARY 28 AXE TO GRIND // COPPER TOP // MARCH 7NIC SNOW BAND // ROUNDERS // MARCH 6


Across1. Former Chrysler cars8. Courtroom V.I.P.13. Remodel14. Return, as to a past practice16. Transports by plane17. Slip by18. Ricky Martin tune "___ the Minutes"19. Cause of an unexpected fall21. Villa ___ (estate near Rome)22. Mulch material23. Coastal bird24. Agnus ___ (prayer)25. Play end, perhaps26. Ars gratia ___27. Sin of ____30. That, in Mexico31. Clerics' council33. Aspect of a personality35. Canadian rock band big in the 70s, for short36. Scolds sharply40. Disease of cereal grasses42. Prefix for wine43. Freud's psyche parts46. Neuf preceder47. Bit of sediment48. Name in 2001 bankruptcy news50. Deeply buried52. Recite as a psalm53. First name in aviatrices54. Insults56. Downtown Dallas Plaza57. Is preoccupied with58. Cast-off material59. Absolutely

Down1. Cleared a winter windshield

2. "La Vie ___"3. Problem fixer4. Like sheep5. Heaviest U.S. President6. Mel of Cooperstown7. Stanzas of six lines8. Goody9. Assist10. Dodger11. Someone sent away12. Criminal type13. SWAT team action15. Mother who won a Nobel20. Saxophonist Coltrane22. Not Macs25. Verdi princess26. Med school subj.28. Shed, as skin29. "That's ___ concern to you"31. Played a guitar32. Jellystone Park resident34. It precedes a call of "Heads" or "Tails"35. Execute, in old France37. Olden days38. Bean container39. Gerund's ending41. Verdi hero married to Desdemona44. Start to nod off45. Browning piece47. Make-or-break dates48. Pulled the plug on49. Crime-fighter Eliot51. Buys the farm52. "____ Miracle" (Culture Club single)55. After a man's name, a European river

>>> PUZZLEMANIA | C R O S S W O R D P U Z Z L E

SOLUTION FOR PUZZLEMANIA CROSSWORD ON PAGE 21

>>> PUZZLEMANIA| S U D O K U

It's easy to play Sudoku! simply fill every column, row and 3x3 box so they contain every number between 1 and 9. the game is easy to play but difficult to master! Solution Page 21


Domestic issues and communication around shared finances can bring opposing forces into the mix. saturn's presence in sagittarius can be a constructive force for good, encouraging you to get sound advice, research options, and take a measured approach to doing what's best. social sparkles show up as the sun glides through pisces. But restless energies may show up in your dreams, encouraging you to take a leap of faith regarding an idea that's been brewing for some time.

Your social life continues to flourish as mars and Venus stir up opportunities to network, make new friends, and get into the dating loop. there's a lot more sizzle in the air, whether you're going out with a love interest or long-term partner. passions are quickly aroused, encouraging impulsive moves. However, they can just as quickly die down unless you take advantage of the moment. though career goals may need attention, you could be persuaded to enjoy yourself instead.

this week your adventurous spirit encourages you forward, particularly if you're eager to expand your horizons. Dynamic energies can be harnessed to develop creative ideas, particularly if they're linked to publishing, teaching, or coaching. at the same time you may be ready to travel and eager to explore places you've never seen. this is one time when romance can show up, making for a perfect holiday encounter. over the weekend, avoid impulsive moves that could be more trouble than they're worth.

though monday could begin on a contentious note with obstacles showing up, you'll quickly get into your stride as the week unfolds. You seem excited and somewhat high-spirited around finances or soul-mate relationships. it's possible that you could suddenly do or say the wrong thing, so if you have important decisions to make or feel compelled to splurge, stop and think before you go ahead. constructive plans concerning home and family matters can be a great use of time and energy.

there's plenty going on at home, which might involve remodeling, DiY projects, or other household jobs. While you'll have great enthusiasm, research your options carefully before you jump into action on the spur of the moment. Doing so could save you a lot of hassle later. You could have a little financial luck, and it could come about through discreet advice or an insider tip. avoid a desire to splurge over the weekend. opt for small indulgences instead!

You may need to increase your exercise quotient in order to constructively channel high-powered energies that might otherwise make you restless. Working on a plan to accommodate this excess could leave you feeling toned and powerful. You'll also get a chance to direct this force into plans and projects that need a determined attitude if you're to reach completion. there's also a strong possibility of a scintillating romance developing at work. However, though tempted, it's best not to rush into anything!

Romantic desire peaks at this time, which can bring fresh delights to a long-term romance or encourage you to be bold regarding a love interest. if you're hoping to date, a desire to commit to anything long term could be absent. for now it's best to enjoy lighthearted fun and avoid getting too caught up in anything. Even so, you can use this creative energy to kick-start a personal project, especially if it gives you an opportunity to showcase your talents.

concentration and well-directed energy can make this a successful week. in fact, there are many opportunities open to you to advance goals, research options, and meet with all the right people. in addition, you'll have the desire and determination to succeed. You'll also be open to learning and discovering. a creative idea midweek might be the catalyst for taking up a study course or getting a qualification. Romance shows up when you move outside your comfort zone.

>>> HOROSCOPES | W E E K L Y O V E R V I E W

Romantic encounters could be a little bit stressful unless you cooperate and compromise. mars and Venus in aries can be fun and dynamic, but they can also be disruptive, which could be reflected in the attitude of a mate or love interest. though you may have to bend over backward to accommodate another early on, by midweek a more thoughtful influence can see you getting along much better. the weekend could bring one or two surprises your way, and perhaps a new experience.

any friction you experience this week could be associated with financial matters and the possibility of overspending. With mars and Venus now in aries, the temptation to buy on impulse could be stronger than ever. if you can't budget, try to limit your spending when you're shopping at the mall or looking for bargains online. Wednesday could bring one of your better chances for a special date night. Whatever your relationship status, enjoy this opportunity for enhanced bonding.

Your strength of feeling about an issue or subject could surprise you. However, you're unlikely to hold back this week, as mars and Venus encourage you to speak out. saturn's presence can temper your mood by midweek, leading to constructive conversation that brings positive results. meanwhile, you may be surrounded by the glow of personal popularity and lovely social prospects. With so much going on that's positive, there are many reasons to feel happy.

Giving in to sensual delights is possible, although you'd be better off channeling your energies into constructive projects. in fact, you get a chance to do just that from tuesday on, when your focus will be stronger and you'll be more determined to succeed. as the sun is currently in pisces, you're in a natural phase in which it helps to relax and recharge your batteries. try not to overdo it! make time to reflect on life and reconnect with your heart's desire.

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

PARKVIEW SHOPPING CENTER • 205.758.5770Near OZ Records

Gently used — most like new

Tuscaloosa’s Independent Book Store(we have a gazillion titles)

PLEASE MENTION ADSTOCK UP NOW

During these cold wintery days,

take a trip South of the Border with Jimmy Buffett!

TOP SELLERS AT HALF PRICE


>>> RED CLAY DIARY | J I M R E E D

MARIO LANZA// ALMOST ALIVE AND IN PERSON

I am here with my brother, Tim, who is busy showing his whimsical art at an

enormous civic-center show. I take a break to have an adventure in a town I know little about.

The Mario Lanza Institute and Mu-seum, I learn, is listed as a tourist attrac-tion by Triple-A and, of course, this is the natural place I want to visit first if I ever get to Philadelphia.

This kind of attraction appeals to me most…the dusty little out-of-the-way corners of the nation that are ignored by crowds waiting to get into the Benjamin Franklin Institute or who drive 90 miles to see the home of Edgar Allan Poe. Besides, my mother is a longtime fan of Lanza, so I think it will be a great gesture to bring her a souvenir or two from the Institute.

The Angolan cab driver has no idea how to get me to the Mario Lanza Institute and Museum, so we have to stop several places—at my expense—to ask various uninformed and usually indifferent citizens for directions. We finally find a woman, standing in front of a theatre, whose child has actually attended the music school and who thus provides directions for me—certainly not directions for the cab driver, who has no idea where anything is and whose wife was trying to get through nursing school so he won’t have to spend the rest of his life driving through a city he fears (“No cabdriver wants to drive after 5 o’clock in this town.”).

So, after scrunching up our shoulders to make it through the narrow streets, I at

last tell the lost driver to just let me out. He does, and I find myself in an alien land—shabby, overcrowded and oversqueezed buildings, trash in the streets and loiterers eyeing passersby with thirsty curiosity.

Just can’t figure out where I am, so I enter a teeming neighborhood laundry to ask the Chinese owner for directions. He can’t understand anything I say, and the hangers-out in the establishment are beginning to crowd uncomfortably close to me, the bearded London-Fog-overcoated bald guy who just doesn’t seem to come from these parts. One rather large, sullen man looms over me, staring.

From behind, someone taps me roughly on the shoulder. I freeze, hoping the contact is accidental. The tapping con-tinues, and I turn to find the smiling face of a woman who speaks English and actually knows where the Mario Lanza Institute is.

Just a block away, behind high metal fences, stands an aged building with high ceilings and run-down plaster-walled of-fices. Inside, even though I call ahead to make sure the Museum is open, nobody can tell me how to get upstairs to see the Museum (“The elevator can be operated only by key–and you’ll have to talk to the people in the office.”). The people in the office are tied up with personal phone calls, so I stick my head into a side office, interrupting the casual chatter of two deni-zens, who send me back to the desk I’ve just come from.

”Here, I’ll let you on the elevator with my key,” a grizzled, limping elderly man smiles. He leads me down a narrow

hallway to a stale-smelling tiny eleva-tor and sends me on my way, alone and claustrophobic, to the floor where I might find Mario Lanza’s scraps and pieces, if I am lucky.

Once the door clangs open, I am in-side another narrow corridor which leads eventually to a high-ceilinged dimly-lit hallway on the walls of which Mario Lanza himself PR-grins himself silly for visitors and photographers around the world.

There are yellowed newspaper clip-pings, a framed letter to Mario from Jack Warner, another from Sammy Cahn, a Mario Lanza dinner jacket with the faint yel-lowing you associate with rental outfits (his arms were incredibly short, it seems), vari-ous audiocassette tapes comparing Lanza to Caruso, tabloid papers reporting on the annual Mario Lanza Festival, dingy scrap-books and press-clipping binders available for Lanzaphile research, a sample copy of a book about Lanza (“We’re out of these, so we can’t sell this copy,” the bored clerk who staffs the Institute says.) and various fan club materials on the cracked-plaster walls of one small room.

And that is it.The Mario Lanza Institute and Museum

is about to close in the middle of the after-noon, and I am the third and final person to sign the guest book this day. I purchase

a cassette for my Mother, pick up a few freebie photocopies and pamphlets for her, and make my way downstairs to the main door, dodging young musicians and their parents.

Outside in the cold winter air, I cannot find a cab, but two tourists do stop to ask me for directions. I wander toward what is called the Italian Market, smelling wonder-ful cooked-sausage and pasta fragrances, and trying to look as if I know what I am doing in this strange and unclean neigh-borhood, trying to look as if I can handle myself.

Finally, a cabdriver idling his GM car in front of a small store says he will take me back to the Philadelphia Civic Center as soon as his mate is through shopping. His wife, a petite and polite woman, chats with me a bit as we drive through the incredibly narrow streets of another planet and head toward someplace I can call familiar in this best and worst of all possible cities where once a tenor spent some time making fans of people who are beginning now to forget both him and the hopefulness that once welled from within his lungs…a hopeful-ness that thrilled my mom and a million other moms whose lives in the late-1940′s and early-50′s were so much harder but so much purer then

©2015 A.D. by Jim Reed

Somewhere deep in the bowels of the city of Philadelphia, on the second floor—or is it the third?—of a music school, reside the paper-and-cloth remnants of a pre-Pavarotti superstar, a man who died in 1959, still remembered by a few aging fans who celebrate his Philadelphia-ness each year.


BAMA RECEIVES COMMITMENT // T.J. SIMMONS JUMPS AT TIDE OFFER // OTHER PROSPECTS TALKING

>>> H I G H T I D E | GARY HARRIS / WVUA SPORTS DIRECTOR

Clay-Chalkville 2016 wide receiver T.J. Simmons was expecting an

offer from Alabama to come at any-time. So when Nick Saban extended the offer, the 6-2, 190-pound Simmons accepted immediately. Simmons also had offers from Cincinnati, Memphis, Mississippi State and South Alabama, among others.

"It's great," Simmons says. "It's great that one of the top schools in the entire country wants me to come to play for them. I love facilities and the fans are great."

"I really like the tradition at Alabama and how all the coaches are real cool," he adds. "Coach Cristobal and Coach Napier are real cool people. I have a great relationship with both of them."

As a junior, Simmons had 965 yards and 17 touchdowns receiving. He also had three rushing touchdowns.

"Coach Napier told me that I remind him of Kevin Norwood, with my size and the way I play," Simmons says. "Coach Cristobal also likes my size. He said that he likes the way I play the game, too."

ROBERT WASHINGTONElite RB fits Saban's system.

Gets UA offerThe Alabama staff is constantly

scouring the nation for top running backs. One of the best in the 2016 class is Robert Washington of SouthLake Christian Academy in Huntersville, NC. The 5-11, 215-pound Washington, who has offers from most of the nation's elite programs, picked up an offer from Alabama last week.

"I called the defensive line coach (Bo Davis) and he got me on the phone with Coach Saban," Washington says. "Coach Saban told me that he felt like I'm a back who can fit into their system. He said he wanted to extend a scholar-ship to me."

"It felt great," Washington says.

"When a big man like Coach Saban takes time out of his day to watch your film and to offer you person-ally, that's special.

"He said that I'm big, strong and fast. He said that I dominate my competition. He said that I'm definitely a guy who can fit into their system. He likes what I do."

Washington, who compares him-self to former Alabama star Trent Richardson, rushed for 2,233 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. He added three receiving touch-downs. For his career, Washington has rushed for 5,762 yards and 69 touchdowns.

"I'm more of balanced back," he says. "I do run the zone and I go into the slot a lot, because I'm a bigger back. I'm about a 4.47 guy in the 40. So I like to keep it balanced. I can run over a guy or I can run past him. I like to do it that way. I don't want to be a guy who is a

speed back or just a power back. I like to do it both ways, like Trent Richardson."

Washington, who doesn't have a favorite yet, plans to be an early en-rollee next January. He's already in the process of narrowing down his list. He's released three finalists: North Carolina, Syracuse and TCU. He's considering numerous schools for the other three spots in his top six.

"Ohio State, Notre Dame, Stanford, UCLA, Florida, Miami, Tennessee, I like all of those," Washington says. "They've all offered."

Is Alabama in the mix?"Oh, yes sir. Don't worry about that,"

Washington chuckles. "I'm definitely going to consider them, just being the big running back U that they are. Just the type of stuff that Coach Saban does, how many backs he's produced, you definitely have to take a look at Ala-bama. I definitely am."

Washington plans to announce his commitment on April 25.

"That's a good day for me," he says.

"It gives me some time to really think and talk to some coaches and build some better relationships.

"I've talked to the Alabama coaches more this year than I had in the past. I actually went down there for a visit when I was in the ninth grade. I'm definitely going to get a visit planned for down there before I commit."

JALEN HURTSTexas 2016 QB with Tide

offer plans to visit

Rising senior quarterback Jalen Hurts of Channelview, Texas picked up an offer recently from Alabama. The 6-2, 203-pound Hurts also has offers

from Houston, Mississippi State, SMU, Purdue, UNLV and UTEP.

Hurts is coached at Channelview by his father, Averion Hurts.

"He's real excited about the (Ala-bama) offer," Coach Hurts says. "We're looking forward to getting down there for a visit to meet the coaches.

"They've got a great history. It's something that he's got to see and decide for himself. He wants to meet the coaches in person. That's where it stands right now. He just needs to learn more about the program by going to see it. But he is excited about the offer. They have a great tradition for winning and they have a great program.

"He's the kind of kid who wants to go through it and make the best decision without playing it out in the media. So I think he'll take his time and look at his options and make a decision."

Last season, Hurts passed for 2,552 yards and 21 touchdowns and ran for another 950 yards and 19 touchdowns.

"He's a passing quarterback who just happens to have the ability to run pretty good," Coach Hurts says. "He's a quar-terback who just happens to be athletic. He's not an athlete who just happens to be at quarterback."

Robert Washington


Meghan Steel

Michael Brannon, aka Michal B Reddy

planet weekly 479

Documents

university of alabama

registration fee

data entry time

west alabama

alabama power company

accuracy of data entry

hotel info

registration form