Gem show rocks Gulf State Fairgrounds crowd (with gallery)

Published: Saturday, November 27, 2010, 10:44 PM

While hordes of holiday shoppers have been hitting the stores this weekend, others have been rocking out at the at the Gulf State Fairgrounds.

The 16th annual Jewelry, Gem & Mineral Show, which began Friday and wraps up today, features 36 vendors with jewelry, gems, minerals, fossils and more available for purchase.

Visitors can view florescent rocks, check out gem-cutting machinery and see numerous demonstrations. They are able to sift through dirt and "mine" for gems at one sluice, but new to this year’s show is another sluice where visitors can buy bags of dirt to sift for gold.

Blue agate, rose quartz and quartz crystal were among the gemstones 11-year-old Bradley Yates of Mobile bought Saturday. The Government Street Baptist School student proudly displayed two bags of gems.

Bradley said this was his third year attending the show. He said he likes coming "because it’s very fun. You get to find a bunch of beautiful rocks."

Fewer people had turned out through Saturday than organizers had hoped, said Jerry Shirey with the Mobile Rock and Gem Society, which puts on the show. Rainy weather and the Iron Bowl may have helped keep the turnout low Friday, he said. He said he was anticipating 1,000 to 1,200 people today, the final day of the event.

Typically, the three-day events draws from 3,000 to 3,500 visitors.

Julia Luke of Uriah and Nita Saxon of Citronelle attended the event Saturday for the first time. The women, along with 11-year-old Brook Elafosse of Chickasaw, who was attending the show for a second year, carefully examined gems in display cases.

"I came to check it out. I just started collecting gems, and wanted to find out more about it," Luke said.

The event offers a little of something for everyone, according to Shirey.

Fossil lovers will find fish and trilobites. For the non-squeamish, some of the more unusual items include pieces of petrified alligator poop and slices of coprolite (petrified dinosaur poop).

And if you’re in the market for an Edmontosaurus dinosaur tail that includes some vertebrae, tendons and skin, you’re in luck. But be prepared to pay a pretty penny for that prize. The dinosaur fossil, found earlier this year in Dawson County, Mont., will cost $6,000, said seller Keith Harmon of Stone Crystals in Tyler, Texas.

Bill Mitcham, of Kudzu Minerals of Fayetteville, Ga., is back for his fourth year selling a wide range stones, and said business has been good — better than at some other shows he has been to.

"Y’all are not in a depressed area," he said, adding that the economies in many other areas are struggling far more than in Mobile.

Craig Winter of Killeen, Texas, who has come to Mobile’s show for the past four or five years with an array of arrowheads and tomahawks, said his business has been a little slow this weekend. But he expressed confidence that it would pick up later Saturday and today.

With many gemstones and jewelry items to be had for $20, Shirey said the event is a good place for holiday shoppers looking for gifts. Most of the vendors are selling their products for half retail prices, he said.

In addition to showcasing collectors and artisans, part of the goal of the show is to get more young people interested in collecting and in joining the Mobile Rock and Gem Society, Shirey said. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at 1324 Forest Dell Road. The group also holds workshops, he said.

Anyone interest in the society can visit its website at www.mobilerockandgem.com or all Shirey at 251-458-2867.

"I’ll talk to anyone about rocks," he said.

If you go:

Hours: Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Location: Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds, Cody Road and Zeigler Boulevard

Admission: $3; children under 12 free

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Questions linger about seafood safety, but FDA says consumers have little to fear

Published: Sunday, November 28, 2010, 5:00 AM

Every Gulf fish that the government has tested since workers shut off the oil spewing from BP’s ruptured well in mid-July has shown toxins far below what is dangerous, federal authorities say.

Still, questions about seafood safety linger, highlighted by the government’s decision last week to close 4,213 square miles in the Gulf of Mexico to deepwater royal red shrimping after a trawler pulled up tar balls in its net.

But before that high-profile incident, some experts contend that the government’s standards are too lax. Others say the government’s testing ignores key toxins.

Even if a contaminated piece of fish slips through the samples tested by the Food and Drug Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the consumer who ate it probably would have nothing to worry about, according to federal scientists.

“You’d have to get the bad fish for five years,“ said Bob Dickey, director of the FDA’s Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory on Dauphin Island.

The reason has to do with how the safety thresholds were developed and what they mean, Dickey said.

The government tests for dozens of toxic compounds found in crude oil, including those that can make a person sick immediately, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, which can increase the chances that a consumer will get cancer.

It sets “levels of concern“ for each compound, and the levels can be different among different seafood species.

“All of the samples have been 100-fold or even 1,000-fold below all of these levels,“ Dickey said. “Nothing ever came close to these levels.“

Not everyone is convinced, though.

“These chemicals, these are PAHs that are carcinogenic. ... These items are not in any way appropriate for anyone to eat,“ said Ed Cake, an environmental consultant from Ocean Springs. “There’s no low-dose level that’s acceptable to eat.“

William Sawyer, a Florida-based toxicologist, said the current FDA protocol allows much higher concentrations of PAHs than the government used for the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 and other previous oil spills. He said some shrimp caught off the coast of Florida and privately tested had toxins that were at 40 percent of the FDA’s level of concern.

Applying the same analysis but using the old levels, he said, those shrimp “would be in violation and wouldn’t be on the market.“

Dickey said the FDA has revised its protocol based on better science and improved understanding of how petroleum toxins react with the body.

The thresholds governing the Gulf testing assumed seafood consumption rates in the top 10 percent as determined by a national survey. It also uses data such as average body weight and meal size.

Dickey said the thresholds come from lab experiments using animals dosed with the compounds in various amounts.

Scientists determine the amount just below that which causes cysts or other signs of cancer. Then they divide by 10 to account for the differences between animals and humans. Then they divide by 10 again to account for variation in the ways people react to compounds.

For instance, the “level of concern“ for the carcinogen benzo(k)fluoranthene is 13.2 parts per million for shrimp and crabs, 14.3 parts per million for oysters and 3.5 parts per million for fin fish.

If a person were to eat fish with the compound in concentrations above the 13.2 parts per million level, Dickey said, it probably would have not adverse health effects.

Instead, he said, that person would have to eat an average of 13 grams of shrimp at the 13.2 parts per million threshold every day for five years to increase the risk of cancer down the road. At that rate, the cancer risk from the contaminated fish would be 1 in 100,000.

Dickey provided a chart showing PAH concentrations in foods ranging from grilled meat to smoked fish to vegetables — at levels, in some cases, that exceeded the agency’s level of concern developed for the oil spill.

“PAHs have been with us for a long time, ever since man started cooking with fire,“ he said.

Bill Walton, an assistant professor at the Auburn University Shellfish Laboratory on Dauphin Island, said he and his family have eaten Gulf seafood since authorities reopened fishing waters. He said it’s important to remember that it’s impossible to eliminate all risk.

“If you don’t have the fish and have the chicken instead, do you know what’s in the chicken?“ he asked.

Walton serves on the Food Safety Task Force, a multi-state group that formed after the oil spill to advise the seafood industry on how to ensure a safe product. He said the group has considered sponsoring independent lab tests but so far has not found funding to do so.

Still, Walton said, he has faith in the government’s testing program.

“I think it’s some of the most extensive testing I’ve ever seen,“ he said. “There is no seafood on the planet that is as tested as Gulf seafood is.“

But Sawyer, the Florida toxicologist, said the government tests do not look for total petroleum hydrocarbons in the seafood. He said his tests of Gulf shrimp have shown unsafe levels of the compounds, which can cause liver or kidney damage in a matter of weeks.

Dickey said Sawyer, like several other scientists who have conducted independent tests, appears to have used a method developed for measuring oil in groundwater and soil. He said that method essentially weighs the carbon compounds in the fish tissue and considers them all petro-carbons.

The problem, Dickey said, is that fish and other animals are carbon-based. The testing method provides an inflated figure without identifying the specific carbon compounds to determine which are from the oil.

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Mobile County school system spends more on administrative costs than other districts

Published: Sunday, November 28, 2010, 5:49 AM

MOBILE, Ala. -- Mobile County schools direct less money, percentage-wise, to classroom instruction than any other of the state’s 10 largest school systems, a new study shows.

Eighty-one percent of Mobile County’s money goes to instruction, and 19 percent to central office administration, facility costs and instructional support, according to a study by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, based at Samford University in Birmingham.

The typical school system in Alabama spends 85 percent in the classroom.

Jim Williams, PARCA executive director, said during a presentation in Mobile that it was “worth considering” whether Mobile County should put more dollars into classrooms. Shifting just 1 percent from administration to instruction would provide an additional $4.8 million.

Mobile County, which has laid off hundreds of teachers and others over the last couple of years, recently cut $3 million from its central office, including firing employees and freezing positions. That cut did not show up on the PARCA report, which was based on data from last year.

“We get more federal money than anyone else in the state. That requires us to hire additional people to keep track of how we’re spending the money,” said Mobile County schools Superintendent Roy Nichols.

“I think we certainly need to look at the central office side and keep those expenditures as low as we can,” Nichols said, “but I don’t think our central office costs are too much. My issue is what is counted as central office.”

PARCA’s tallies of central office expenses for school systems, for example, included costs of construction and maintenance. Nichols said he believes that construction directly benefits the classroom.

Taking out student transportation and food costs, Mobile County spends $8,100 per student, slightly higher than the state average of $8,000.

Baldwin County spends less money per student, overall, at about $7,500, yet uses 86 percent of its funds in the classroom.

Baldwin schools Superintendent Alan Lee said he still wants to transfer more from the central office to the classroom.

Lee said that he plans to cut some central office positions — through attrition, not layoffs — to open more slots for teachers.

“I would like to see teachers play a role in what they’re doing in the classrooms, by deciding themselves how we’re going to respond to state and federal mandates,” Lee said. “Those people have a much better idea what to do than I do.”

On standardized reading and math tests, Mobile County elementary pupils outperform their Baldwin counterparts, while in middle school and high school, Baldwin students do better, according to the PARCA study and a Press-Register analysis. Students in both counties beat the state averages on such tests.

The Mobile County office of the Alabama Education Association teachers union has been critical of the central office expenses, particularly of the $100,000-plus salaries of the top administrators known as assistant superintendents.

Danny Goodwin, a local AEA director, said that the system has made some improvements, replacing retired assistant superintendents — those over human resources and student support services — with lesser-paid executive managers instead. But he said that the recent central office cuts fell more on the backs of support personnel, such as clerks.

“They’ve made some strides,” Goodwin said, “but we think there should be a little more scrutiny at the highest level.”

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Like I said earlier ...

Good day for a party. Hog fans inundated War Memorial Park early this morning for a final round of Little Rock tailgating to cap the 2010 football season.

I dropped by so you didn't have to, then came home for a comfortable seat by the TV.

Beer, barbecue and chips and dip predominated.

And red T-shirts. Some purple-and-gold clad LSU fans mingled with Hog friends. No hostilities were noted on our watch. Thinking back to ancient days, when they sold mums with little gold footballs attached and felt pennants to wave, I wondered: Do any women wear skirts to football games anymore? Do any men wear coats and ties? Not complaining. Just wondering.

True love: Making a Hog-shaped birthday cake for someone's 50th birthday.

Best accessory: A pickup-mounted wooden deck (sorry, no photo) that lifted spectators up 10 feet or so for a vantage point over the sprawling golf course crowd.

Moment most wanted to be young again: Watching kids toss a football around on the 18th tee.

Team spirit: See the jump for a choice T-shirt.

You can't make out the lettering on the sign carried by the young man below. It says: "Never been to a Hog game. Please sell me a ticket." I'm not sure if the sympathy ploy worked. Tickets were on offer, though not in abundance. Prices 90 minutes before game time ranged between $175 and $200. One pickup truck bore a sign that said: "Two Cokes, $16,000. Includes 16 game tickets."

Geaux Hogs.

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My favorite breakfasts #9: Front Page Cafe

I’m not a big fan of having rolls thrown at my head. Fortunately, there are no thrown rolls (or biscuits or even eggs for that matter) at the Front Page Café in Jonesboro during breakfast hours.

I’m a longtime connoisseur of all things Front Page Café. I used to love sitting in the old location on Caraway over by Barnhill’s and passing around veggies and such. I’d always tell the waitress that tips were based on the idea that I not get pegged in the noggin by one of those thrown rolls. That happened more than once.

The restaurant burned down a few years ago. I was sad to hear that, but since it had been years since I’d stepped foot in Jonesboro I really didn’t have an investment in whether or not it came back.

When I started to put together the breakfast article and asked for recommendations, there were a good number of people who told me to come back up and try the new Front Page Café. I’m glad I did.

The new building is south of the bypass, built just for the restaurant. It sprawls out a bit — the tables are further apart than in the old place. There are booths, too.

I was quickly seated and handed a menu. And that menu — hey, it was more than reasonable. Most of the plates are in the $4-5 range.

I settled for the Manager’s Special — a short stack, a couple of eggs and a couple of pieces of breakfast meat. I asked for mine with chocolate chips — one of the add-ins you can get for 69 cents (pecans and blueberries are other options).My plate came out quickly. I hadn’t designated the breakfast meat but the platter came out with a couple of crispy, barely fatty pieces of red bacon. The eggs were nice and runny, the sort that need toast.

Those pancakes, though — nice, ? inch thick rounds about seven inches across that appeared to be thicker with flour than cornmeal., They appeared very standard on the outside, but when I cut into them they had that nice chocolately-ooey texture of a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie. I was expecting semi-sweet, but these were milk chocolate chips and they were scrumptious. I’d applied syrup already and it worked just fine.

It was a pretty grand breakfast for not a lot of money, and it got me up and on my way for the day. Best part was, it was just as good as I remembered.

You can find the Front Page Café at 2117 East Parker Road in Jonesboro, just south of the bypass. (870) 932-6343.

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Commissioner waiting for land sale to pay property tax

Published: Thursday, November 25, 2010, 9:03 AM

BAY MINETTE, Alabama — A $75,000 Fairhope parcel owned by Baldwin County Commissioner Tucker Dorsey sold at auction last spring for unpaid 2009 property taxes totaling $740.96, according to county tax records.

Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner Teddy J. Faust confirmed this week that Dorsey has an unpaid bill on the lot in Fairhope delinquent since Jan. 1.

Dorsey said the unpaid bill isn’t an oversight.

“I am (aware of the unpaid bill),” Dorsey said in an e-mail Monday. “As you know, I’ve been in the development business most of my career. It has been for sale for a few years. I need to sell it to clear the delinquent tax. Feel free to make an offer.”

The property that used to be home to Baypoint Apartments on Mobile Street is part of a tract purchased by Dorsey and two partners in Jubilee Development in 2005, county records show. The partners purchased the land where the apartment complex once stood, starting demolition of the buildings soon after, according to a January 2006 story in the Press-Register. The lots were never developed, and the partnership eventually dissolved with each getting several vacant lots.

Faust said the county typically sends notices to thousands of landowners each year when taxes due on Oct. 1 don’t get paid by Jan.1. If taxes are still delinquent by May, the land gets sold at auction to pay the bill.

Faust said that during the auction properties sell at a minimum for taxes. Participants can bid up to 15 percent of the appraised value of the property above the owed taxes earning 12 percent interest on the bid amount.

For example, a waterfront lot located in an unincorporated area has an appraised value of $100,000. Buyers at the auction can bid the delinquent tax value of $560.00 plus $15,000 excess and earn 12 percent interest per annum on $15,560.00. Bidders purchase the property knowing landowners have three years to pay taxes and penalties and redeem the land. If the land gets redeemed, the bidders get a 12 percent return on the bid price and get their money back. If taxes aren’t paid by the deadline, bidders get a tax deed to the property and become the official owners.

According to the revenue commissioner’s Web site, bidders can go beyond the 15 percent value during the auction, but will only get paid interest on the lower amount.

Faust said his office typically advertises between 3,000 and 5,000 parcels for auction each year. If no one buys the land at the sale, Faust said, it gets turned over to Alabama Department of Revenue for collection. Faust said numbers could be higher this year as a result of the down economy, but land sold in the auction almost always gets redeemed eventually.

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NOAA closes 4,200 miles of Gulf to trawling for royal red shrimp

Published: Thursday, November 25, 2010, 7:00 PM ??? Updated: Thursday, November 25, 2010, 7:47 PM

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration closed 4,213 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico to deep-water trawling for the specialty shrimp royal red.

The closure, covering an L-shaped area of the Gulf east of the mouth of the Mississippi River and south of Mobile Bay, was implemented Wednesday night in reaction to a royal red shrimper finding tar balls in his net Saturday, NOAA said.

Royal red shrimp are caught in depths of 600 feet or more. The royal red fishery is only a small part of the Gulf seafood industry, and NOAA said other shrimp species are not affected by the ban.

The tar balls found in the shrimp net are being analyzed by the U.S. Coast Guard to see if they are from the Deepwater Horizon/BP spill, NOAA said.

At peak output, about 250 shrimp boats trawl for royal reds in the Gulf, NOAA said.

The more common brown, pink and white shrimp are caught in depths of less than 300 feet, often closer to the coast. No tar balls have been reported recently in any of the shallow-water shrimping operations.

"We are taking this situation seriously. This fishery is the only trawl fishery that operates at the depths where the tar balls were found," said Roy Crabtree, assistant NOAA administrator for the agency's Fisheries Service southeast region.

George Crozier, director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, said that, without testing that positively proves the shrimp are tainted, NOAA may be acting too quickly by closing the area.

"There is little reason to believe that the shrimp have eaten tar balls and incorporated toxins," Crozier said. "Show me the data."

He said that anyone with doubts about the purity of shrimp should devein them thoroughly with a tool available at most food and fishing stores. The vein in a shrimp, Crozier said, is actually the crustacean's intestine.

He said the worst effect of the ban on Alabama shrimpers is a belief by the public that all Gulf shrimp may be unsafe to eat.

"The biggest problem facing Alabama is the enormous gap between what they think is happening and what is happening," he said.

Speaking to the Press-Register at a community Thanksgiving dinner in Bayou La Batre, Walter Kraver echoed Crozier's sentiments.

Kraver, patriarch of a family that owns multiple seafood-related businesses in Bayou La Batre, said the closure of royal red fishing may have a small economic impact but a large impact on perception.

"When I saw that on the morning news, I said, 'Oh my God, here we go again,'" Kraver said.

He said few if any Bayou shrimpers work the deep water for Royal Reds. Still, he said, he recalled the boat Country Girl on Thursday, even though that crew was shallow-water shrimping. He said he did not want those enforcing the deep-water ban to bother them.

"That's the problem, perception," Kraver said. "The perception is what really hurt us in the seafood industry. The seafood has been tested up one side and down the other. Everything we're getting looks perfect."

Kraver said shrimp processing plants are suffering from the lack of shrimp coming in, with some not getting enough to continue running.

He said that despite reports of a Gulf teeming with seafood after the reopening, the boats that are working are not producing a high-volume catch.

"We thought there would be worlds of shrimp," Kraver said. "We had a couple of good nights, and then it tapered off." ?

(This report was written by Press-Register Staff Writers Mark R. Kent and Lawrence Specker.)

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Sunday To-Do: "Sin Sunday"

What's going on / Music Sunday To-Do: "Sin Sunday"

Posted by John Tarpley on Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 4:45 AM

SIN SUNDAY
9 p.m., Revolution/Ernie Biggs. $10.

The tagline, Sin Sunday, is for the party we told you about last week — local promoter, DJ and owner of GreenGrass Rock 'n' Roll Bodega Mike Brown's new weekly shindig at Ernie Biggs aimed at folks who work in the service industry. It's about a diverse line-up of live and DJed music, cheap admission and drink specials and late-night fun on Sundays. This first go 'round, it folds nicely into the return of Pretty Things Peep Show at Revolution. Back in town after a successful show in February, the vaudeville show returns with not just be-tassled, nearly naked ladies, but also a fire-breather, a sword swallower, a contortionist and a fast-talking MC. The Diamond Dames Burlesque Troop and Revolution Go Go Girls shake it in support. The after party at Ernie Biggs features locals Father Maple, Cody Belew and The Break Through downstairs and UK breakbeat star DJ Deekline upstairs. The $10 cover charge gets you in both events. Go to Brown's new social networking site, RSVPsociety.com for special deals.

Tags: Sin Sunday, Mike Brown, Pretty Things Peep Show, Diamon Dames Burlesque Troop, Revolution Go Go Girls, Father Maple, Cody Belew, The Break Through, DJ Deekline, RSVP Society

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Needy appear for free Thanksgiving dinners -- except in Bayou La Batre

Published: Friday, November 26, 2010, 5:00 AM

Efforts to spread Thanksgiving cheer to the needy kept an army of volunteers busy Thursday morning - though in one curious case, the corresponding contingent of diners failed to materialize.

In most cases, including The Salvation Army's usual Thanksgiving dinner on Dauphin Street, operations went as planned, with kitchens working at capacity to serve hundreds of diners.

But The Salvation Army's ambitious first-time attempt to offer a similar holiday meal in Bayou La Batre, volunteers vastly outnumbered the handful of takers who showed up to eat, a result that left organizers scratching their heads.

The day began early in the kitchens. At Mobile's Waterfront Rescue Mission, plans had called for couriers to begin picking up meals at 6 a.m. for delivery all over Mobile County.

By 7:30, things were in full swing: "Plate walkers" carried styrofoam to-go boxes down a serving line, then handed them off to be stacked in cardboard boxes, which in many cases had been festively decorated by students at some area elementary schools.

The boxes then went into cars driven by 35 volunteers and more than a dozen officers from the Mobile Police Department.

Police Sgt. E.L. Woodard, who was taking a dozen meals to a residence in the Roger Williams housing project, said police had been involved in the meal-delivery effort for years.

"The program actually started with us seeing a lot of people in public housing who were less fortunate," he said.

Reta Barnes, a part-time Mission worker, said the organization was on track to deliver more than 1,800 meals Thursday. It would serve several hundred more on-site, she said, putting its total well over 2,000.

Across the Bay in Fairhope, meanwhile, a much smaller but no less intense effort was under way at the Church Street Café, a business owned by chef Patrick Dominick and his mother, Ann Dominick.

About a dozen volunteers worked busily to prepare enough food for just over 100 meals. Drivers arrived at 10:30 a.m. to begin transporting to residences scattered across central Baldwin County.

Ann Dominick said that she and her son launched their effort four weeks ago and would have been able to prepare more food with more time. As it was, they'd cooked 10 turkeys and were using "every pot, everything we've got" to serve 100.

Volunteers did everything from prepping vegetables Monday and Tuesday nights to washing dishes Thursday - the small café kitchen has no automatic dishwasher.

Later in the morning, The Salvation Army met with some mixed results in its Mobile efforts. At its Dauphin Street facility, it was business as usual for a Thanksgiving, serving 800 to 1,000 people.

But at the Bayou La Batre Community Center, dozens of volunteers stood ready for action as the seats at four long tables stayed stubbornly empty. Organizers had expected to serve anywhere from 500 to 1,500 people, but after the first hour, only a dozen or so had showed up to take advantage of the feast.

Organizers opted to view it as a learning experience.

Maj. Ted Morris, area commander of The Salvation Army, said his organization and its partner agencies would re-evaluate what they need to do to get the word out in a diverse community like Bayou La Batre.

He has no doubt the need is there, he said, given that the community has been hit hard by the general economic downturn and this summer's oil spill. The Salvation Army still plans to offer a Christmas meal there, though it might be on a smaller scale.

"We're not discouraged," he said. "Surprised, disappointed, but not discouraged."

He was clear on another point, as well: "The food's not going to go to waste," he said. "We serve 450 meals a day in Mobile."

Those words doubtless will be well received by students at Virginia College in Mobile, who did the cooking.

Stacy Killingsworth, director of public relations and volunteer services for The Salvation Army of Coastal Alabama, said her organization didn't have the kitchen space or staff to take on the Bayou La Batre effort on its own.

The solution, Killingsworth said, was a partnership with the Mobile campus of Virginia College, located in the Festival Center off Airport Boulevard. This fall the school opened a new branch of its Culinard Institute, a culinary training program.

The Salvation Army provided the food; the school provided staff, students and two gleaming new industrial kitchens.

And so, at the college on Tuesday afternoon, chef Jason Lafferty, the head of operations for the program, looked on as Carla Strachan, Magan Stalmach and other students worked to finish up.

A 45-gallon kettle of homemade turkey stock bubbled in the background as the students carved up some of the 60 turkeys they'd cooked. Lafferty noted with pride that all the practice had made students noticeably quicker and more confident about dismantling the carcasses.

In a walk-in cooler, he showed off racks holding food: 26 aluminum pans of caramelized sweet potatoes, each enough to serve 40 to 50 people. Similar amounts of green beans and greens (some donated by the school itself) also stood ready for loading.

Lafferty said the effort had involved 36 students and three instructors, and that all their time had been "above and beyond" their normal coursework.

"The opportunity far outweighed any other type of thought," he said.

One theme throughout the agencies contacted by the Press-Register was that needs were running high, but so was the spirit of volunteerism.

Bill Bru, executive director of the Waterfront Rescue Mission, said the Mission started signing up helpers on Nov. 1, and by Nov. 10 had all it could use.

Killingsworth said The Salvation Army had ample volunteers for its Thanksgiving effort well ahead of time, and, in fact, had already signed up all the volunteers needed for its Christmas meal.

In the little café kitchen in Fairhope, Ann Dominick said she felt it was "unfortunate" that she had to turn volunteers away "because we'd like to use everybody."

"It's been overwhelming, the outpouring of support," she said. ?

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Saturday To-Do: Arkansas Razorbacks v. LSU Tigers

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS V. LSU TIGERS
2:30 p.m., War Memorial Stadium. Sold out.

The game may be sold out, but a War Memorial tailgate is never full. A grill suggestion courtesy of my cousin: Wrap a thick cut of pork or chicken around sausage and leftover dressing with kitchen twine — and bam! — a game day delicacy. Typically, a War Memorial game is more about drunken revelry and smoked meats than dedicated fandom, but this year, with a potential Sugar Bowl berth at stake (go Auburn!), Hog fans are likely to bring their game faces (which, of course, doesn't preclude food and drink so much as it puts a cap on it). Here are several things I'd be willing to bet on with regard to the game: Les Miles will make at least one stupid — but probably at least two — costly decision(s). LSU's ground game will give us the same sort of troubles Mississippi State's did. The crowd will be the difference maker. For a more astute preview, see A Boy Named Sooie here.

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Saturday To-Do: Mannheim Steamroller

MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER
8 p.m., Robinson Center Music Hall. $37-$77.

Is it hip to like Mannheim Steamroller yet? If not, can it be? The progressive rockers have been synthesizing Christmas since 1984, providing bottomless laughs and endless opportunities to play air MIDI keyboards over the holidays. Little did Chip Davis, Mannheim Steamroller founder, know he'd change the entire Yuletide soundscape when he decided "Deck the Halls" didn't sound enough like a promotional VHS for Minnetonka, Minnesota's 1982 Chamber of Commerce. The group's annual, cross-country Christmas tour is a yearly staple and their stops in Little Rock are as reliable as their sweet electronic drum fills. It's a one-night-only affair, so get to getting while the getting's good. After all, if you miss this one, you'll have to wait three whole weeks before you get another chance to see hokey prog-rock Christmas when Trans-Siberian Orchestra comes to town.

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U.S. Rep. Bonner unimpressed by Feinberg's latest claims announcement, says he's 'lost trust'

Published: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 4:34 PM ??? Updated: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 4:34 PM

MOBILE, Alabama -- U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner is not impressed with Gulf Coast claims czar Ken Feinberg’s new rules governing final payments to people and businesses damaged by this summer’s oil spill.

The Mobile Republican, who has called for a Justice Department investigation of Feinberg’s Gulf Coast Claims Facility, said that he has no confidence in Feinberg’s protocol for final payments or the Claims Facility’s ability to pay remaining emergency claims by Dec. 15.

“Mr. Feinberg’s new offer is simply a new verse to the same old song of unfulfilled promise on top of unfulfilled promise,” Bonner said in an e-mail. “Like many business owners who have been abandoned by Mr. Feinberg, I have lost all trust in his ability to manage the claims process or in his credibility in following through with new promises.”

Feinberg did not specifically respond to Bonner’s letter to the Justice Department. But he said he is troubled by the concerns Bonner has expressed to him directly.

"I have a very high regard for Congressman Bonner. I consider him a very important and credible constructive critic," he said. "One does not ignore Congressman’s Bonner’s criticism. ... And I plan to deal with the problem."

Feinberg’s Gulf Coast Claims Facility this morning also released a 54-page study by a Harvard Law School professor that Feinberg said demonstrates people indirectly affected by the oil spill likely would have much narrower legal claims to compensation than they would get from his claims process.

Claims for final payments will be open to all residents and businesses, whether or not they sought emergency relief and even if they were turned down initially, Feinberg said. Under the process laid out by Feinberg today, those initially opting for interim payments could ask for a lump sum at any time until the claims process ends Aug. 23, 2013.

Feinberg said the quarterly payments would be deducted from the final check. He said claimants very well could get more by accepting a one-time payment up front.

Feinberg also detailed appeal options for claimants and for BP, which agreed to put up $20 billion to fund the claims process.

People and businesses with claims exceeding $250,000 can appeal to a 3-judge panel that soon will be set up. BP also can appeal Feinberg’s decision to pay if claims exceed $500,000. His spokeswoman, Amy Weiss, said the BP appeals process is mandated by the federal Oil Pollution Act.

Also, after 90 days of no decision, or if a claim is denied, any claimant can appeal to the U.S. Coast Guard and then to federal court.

“I am determined to be more generous than the courts would be or the Coast Guard would be,” Feinberg said.

BP spokesman Justin Saia said the company would defer comment to Feinberg.

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Tomorrow's forecast today for coastal Alabama: Thanksgiving rain possible

Published: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 5:48 PM ??? Updated: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 5:49 PM

Today's high was 80. The record for Nov. 24 is 81, recorded in 1973.
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Thanksgiving Day: Isolated showers, otherwise partly cloudy. Highs in the mid- to upper 70s. Lows in the mid-40s to low 60s. Chance of rain 20 percent, increasing to 50 percent Thursday night.
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Friday: Scattered showers. Highs in the low to mid-60s. Lows in the low 30s to low 40s. Chance of rain 50 percent, decreasing to mostly clear skies by Friday night.
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(For a complete forecast, see Thursday's Press-Register. For other Alabama weather news, visit al.com/weather.)

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Thanksgiving shoppers pick up a few items -- or the whole meal

Published: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 5:36 PM ??? Updated: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 5:36 PM

I?t is not easy planning a Thanksgiving dinner for 50 people.

But Diane Nations of Satsuma doesn’t mind.

Using e-mail, she organized the menu, asking everyone to make a side dish or dessert to bring to an aunt’s house in Malbis for the holiday feast that will feature two turkeys and one ham.

A nurse coming off four days of 12-hour shifts at Springhill Medical Center, Nations was one of many local cooks braving the crowded grocery store aisles Wednesday.

Some were buying the makings of the whole Thanksgiving meal, while others had just a few ingredients left to get.

Nations loaded sweet potatoes for a casserole, cocoa and confectioners sugar for a Mississippi mud pie and cabbage for her mom’s special coleslaw recipe into her cart at the Saraland Food World.

“I am thankful for my family,” said Nations, whose husband Stan, three grown children and six grandchildren are among the 50 — ages 6 months to 82 — she’ll spend today with. “We’re very close.”

Meanwhile, at the Publix in Fairhope, Candice Thagard and her mother, Susan Conville, joked that they would need two buggies. “We are loading up,” Thagard said. “We’re ready.” ?

Thagard of Fairhope said she started her holiday prep work last week when she made a trial run of the chicken and cornbread dressing she’ll serve today. “The dressing is major,” she said.

Instead of baking it in the oven, she’s preparing the side dish in a slow cooker for at least 15 family members, who will gather at her home for turkey, ham and sweet potato casserole.

By 11 a.m. Wednesday, the parking lot at the Winn-Dixie in midtown Mobile was packed. Some shoppers were picking up a last-minute turkey, hoping it would have time to thaw. Others were perusing the aisles for particular ingredients — fried onions for a green bean casserole, or whipped cream for fruit salad.

Maxine Taylor had already done most of her shopping a couple of days earlier, but came back to the store “for just a few extras.” She picked out some pecan pies, soft drinks, sweet potatoes and eggnog. She’s expecting to see most of her six children and 15 grandchildren sometime during the day.

“I’m just cooking for everybody,” she said.

Yolanda Perry, who works as a housekeeper at Mobile Infirmary, said she starts preparing her Thanksgiving feast at least two days before her family gathers at her home for the meal. That’s just what she was doing Tuesday at Cain’s B&H Food Store off Halls Mill Road in Mobile.

Scratching items off a grocery list, Perry nudged a buggy brimming with bags of turnips and 10-pound tubs of pork chitterlings.

Known for its bountiful selection of freshly picked greens, customers go to Cain’s from all over to buy the Southern staples. During the holidays, shoppers purchase up to four truckloads of the Loxley-raised greens a week, a manager said.

To prepare her greens, Perry said she first boils neck bones with a blend of spices, plus oil and sugar.

“Then I clean the greens three or four times to get out the sand,” she said. “Then I get them simmering.”

(This report was written by Press-Register Staff Reporters Casandra Andrews and Rena Havner Phillips.)

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La belle vie

Little Rock National Airport Executive Director Ron Mathieu and Mayor Mark Stodola flew to Paris Oct. 3-8 to meet with executives of Dassault Falcon Jet, which operates a manufacturing plant at the airport. They flew first class to Atlanta, business class to Paris. They ate at French restaurants and took French taxicabs and stayed at the Prince de Galles hotel. The tab, based on receipts turned in by Mathieu to the Little Rock airport, came to a total of $15,121.31.

In an e-mail to the Times, the mayor wrote: "Since the trip was made to discuss saving existing jobs and to lobby for the creation of new jobs at Dassault by urging them to build their new SMS Jet on Airport property, the airfare was an expense of the LR Municipal Airport Commission. It was not an expense of the city's general fund. I also did not make the reservations. I was asked to represent the city by the airport and AEDC [Arkansas Economic Development Commission] on behalf of the Governor's office. Mr. Dassault also happens to be a Mayor of a municipal suburb of Paris."

Stodola's statement of financial interest filed with the city for the year 2009 reported only that the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce paid for $175 in meals on Stodola's trip. There was no information on the trip to Paris because, the mayor said, the statement asks only that he report payment from "nongovernmental sources." The airport "is a governmental unit," Stodola said.

Graham Sloan, director of the state Ethics Commission, said, however, that, generally, any expenditure of more than $150 on behalf of a government official is reportable. He said the definition of a "governmental source" is a gray area in the law. Does it mean only the public official's own government? Or does it mean a payment from a separate source? That's never been addressed, Sloan said.

The mayor's four nights at the Prince de Galles (A Luxury Collection Hotel) cost the airport $3,069.87 (2,020 euros). Mathieu's room charges were a bit more expensive, at $3,503.93.

Receipts turned in to the airport by Mathieu offer a picture of the meals he, the mayor, Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce president Jay Chesshir and others enjoyed on the airport expense account. At La Christine ($176.89), for example, Mathieu and the mayor dined on a special entree and appetizers of filet of beef, foie gras, lemonade, etc. At L'Alsace on the Champs Elysees ($122.16), the director and the mayor had stuffed mussels, escargot, a cabbage dish, and non-alcoholic drinks. The tab at La Galichon (no receipt), a lunch with the mayor, Jay Chesshir, Don Hendrix and Becky Thompson (the latter two are not identified), was $128.86.

The last night in Paris, the Little Rock group pulled out all the stops at Le Pichet de Paris, where diners Mathieu, Stodola, Chesshir and a fourth person (name illegible) had a lovely French repast of escargot, shrimp, rock crab, duck foie gras, filet of sole, tuna steak washed down with whiskey and wine, including two bottles of Saint-Jacques (78 euros) and a bottle of Mouton Cadet Blanc for 36 euros, or $54. Altogether, the bill was more than 500 euros -- on the airport charge the amount was in dollars, $842.68. (Airport policy, unlike state practice, allows purchase of alcoholic beverages with public money for "entertainment.")

The mayor was not successful in persuading Dassault, which had laid off 150 employees earlier in 2009, to staunch the flow. It cut 200 more jobs in December, two months after the mayor's return. Dassault's headquarters for North and South America and the Pacific Rim is in South Hackensack, N.J.

Chesshir, incidentally, heads an agency that Stodola has annually recommended for a $200,000 taxpayer outlay in the name of economic development. Stodola has also defended Chesshir's refusal to disclose the specifics of how that money was spent. Among other things, Chesshir has refused to say whose salaries the city is helping to pay, an important point because a city contract with the chamber says the money is not to be used for the chamber's political efforts. If it is subsidizing employees who do such work, it would appear to violate at least the spirit of the contract. Stodola said he didn't know — and he didn't ask — whether the city's tax money paid the expenditure by the chamber on his behalf in Paris. The city contract says the chamber's contract is covered by the FOI. Chesshir interprets it to mean he need not provide any information to the media beyond a general summary of spending.

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Best pastries

Because eating sweet treats for breakfast is a whole different experience, another list:

Boulevard Bread Co., Little Rock You'll find big muffins, savory scones and all sorts of delicious fresh-baked bread here. The monkey bread is irresistible. Gourmet coffee, too. $$, 1920 N. Grant St., 501-663-5951, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Satellite locations at 400 President Clinton Ave. and inside UAMS.

Community Bakery, Little Rock The spongy beignets are always a treat. And we can't get enough of the old-fashioned sour cream cake donut. $, 1200 Main St., 501-375-6418, 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Sat.; 270 S. Shackleford Road, 501-224-1656, 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Sun.

Mercado San Jose, Little Rock Inside this Mexican grocery store, you'll find one of Little Rock's best Mexican bakeries serving up cherry empanadas, churros and conchas. It's the best place in town to find pan dulce. $, 7411 Geyer Springs Road, 501- 565-4246, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Ed's Custom Bakery, Conway Find cinnamon rolls, tightly swirled butter rolls and Conway's best pecan rolls here. $, 256 Oak St., 501-327-2996, 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 6 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.

Something's Brewing Cafe, Conway Scones, especially blueberry and pecan, are what draw us back to this Conway coffeehouse time and time again. $$, 1156 Front St., 501-327-5517, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

Hankins Country Store, Pelsor The bread pudding muffin is popular, but we prefer the pecan roll; its gooey sweet topping complements the salty dough inside. Grab some napkins. $, Junction Hwy 7-16-123, Pelsor, 870-294-5151, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon.-Sat.

Neighbor's Mill Bakery & Cafe, Harrison The breads are popular here, but we're partial to the muffins — especially the pumpkin sour cream and the banana chip nut. Even if you show up late for breakfast, the staff will gleefully heat your muffin. $$, 1012 Hwy. 65 N, 870-741-6455, neighborsmill.com?, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat.

Arsaga Espresso Cafe, Fayetteville Arsaga makes its own dessert-like pastries and roasts its own coffee. Quiches and other breakfast items are always available. $$, 1852 N. Crossover Road, 479-527-0690, 6:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 6:30 a.m.-12 a.m. Fri.-Sat., 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.; 2418 N. Gregg Ave., 6:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 6:30 a.m.-12 a.m. Fri., 6:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Sun.; plus locations in the Fayetteville Public Library, Washington Regional Medical Center and the UA Law Library.

Domingo's Bakery & Restaurant, Springdale The breads here are plentiful; the conches are flaky and slightly sweet and the chocolate on the doughnuts is dark. Best of all, the prices are cheap, which means you can get a whole lot for your dollar. $, 1229 W. Sunset Ave., Springdale, 479-750-4797, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

Sugarbaker's Coffee House Cafe, Paragould This quaint little cafe is a great place for hot coffee, fresh muffins and cookies for breakfast. Breakfast treats usually sell out, so go early. $, 221 S. Pruett St., Paragould, 870-236-7842, 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat.

Klappenbach Bakery, Fordyce Back open after a fire that damaged the kitchen, the Fordyce mainstay is back as if nothing had changed. Doughnuts come in large and small sizes. Our favorite is the blueberry Danish—firm and buttery with just-sweet-enough icing and big chunks of fresh blueberry. If you can't get to Fordyce, you can have some bread mailed to you. $$, 108 West Fourth St., Fordyce, 870-352-7771, klappenbachbakery.com, 6 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri., 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat.

Spudnut Shop, Magnolia As its South Arkansas adherents know, a typical Spudnut is made from potato flour and is the diameter of a regular doughnut but with a bit more height. The firm texture makes it a great coffee doughnut. Don't miss the cinnamon-sugar dusted version. $, 612 E Main St # B, Magnolia, 870-234-2005, 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Tue., 6 a.m.-11 a.m. Wed.-Sat.

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Sen. Faris: Another deadbeat

When we wrote recently about a number of lawmakers who persistently fell behind on their low rent payments in the Capitol Hill building, we forgot one other state tenant. Sen. Steve Faris occupies an apartment set up years ago by then-Secretary of State Bill McCuen (Faris' former boss) in what's known as the "boiler room," a utility building with a tall smokestack on Capitol grounds west of the Capitol. Faris pays a bargain $200 a month. Until mid-summer, when reporters started sniffing about legislative deadbeats, Faris was a consistent slow pay, with payments 60 days in arrears, this year, in February, March, April, May and June, according to secretary of state records. The secretary of state's office shot down a rumor that the term-limited Faris was trying to work out a lease renewal with outgoing Secretary of State Charlie Daniels so he could hang onto his Capitol-grounds pad when he becomes a Senate employee, as is expected to happen. The current lease expires this month and Daniels' successor will handle future assignments of the space, a spokesman said.

Same place

Conveniently, residents of the Second Congressional District will find their new congressman in the same place they found their old one. Rep. Vic Snyder's Little Rock office, in the Prospect Building at 1501 North University Ave., Suite 150, will change tenants in January, when Snyder moves out and Tim Griffin moves in. No word yet on Griffin's Washington address.

Brave new world

It's a good bet that body-scanning X-ray machines — the so-called "digital strip search," which can see hazy gray images of the naked torso through your clothes — are coming soon to an airport near you, but the Transportation Security Administration won't say when they'll land at Little Rock National Airport, citing security concerns. TSA spokesperson Sari Koshetz said the machines are now in place at nearby airports in St. Louis, Gulfport, Miss., Dallas, New Orleans and Memphis, but said it's TSA policy to not discuss when the machines will be installed elsewhere until a formal announcement is made.

For now, travelers going through the security checkpoint at Little Rock National Airport may be singled out for one of the more thorough hand searches the TSA rolled out nationwide in October, which include TSA agents purposely touching the clothed genital area as part of the search. Koshetz said the more thorough searches — which many travelers, along with pilots and flight attendants unions, have characterized as a "grope" — are always performed by a same-gender officer, and can be performed in an area out of view of the public if the traveler requests it. Koshetz said the more thorough searches were instituted in response to a specific threat that terrorists would seek to "manipulate societal norms to evade detection." When asked if that translates to: "hide a weapon near their crotch, because Americans generally don't like anybody other than their doctor or significant other touching them there," Koshetz wouldn't comment for the record. Koshetz said that travelers may be subjected to the more thorough body searches randomly, because they set off the metal detectors, or — in the case of airports with body scanners — because they opt out of going through the machine.

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Christie's eye-opener

Candy fans, my eyes have been directed elsewhere, since I don't get to concentrate only on art here at the Arkansas Times! But I'm taking a break from news duties to mention the Christie's auction Dec. 1, "Important American Paintings and Sculpture." Since Alice Walton started building Crystal Bridges Museum for American Art, I've been looking at Sotheby's and Christie's catalogs as if they were gift catalogs, wondering what Walton might put under the tree in Bentonville when CBMAA opens 11/11/11.

I hope Walton hasn't quit buying, because I'd like for her to select several things from this auction. Just for me. Here's a list:

Charles Ephraim Burchfield's "Red Trilliums and Hemlock," watercolor on paperboard. I have a thing for this artist, and every time I see a Burchfield at auction, I'm hoping it will be part of the museum's collection. None has been announced yet. Estimated bid: $150k to $250k.

John Koch's "Sunday Noon," oil on canvas. It was painted in 1973, a salon scene, jarringly modern. Estimated bid: $80k to $120k.

Everett Shinn's "Snowstorm Broadway," pastel, gouache and watercolor on paperboard. I'm just crazy about it. Estimated bid: $70k to $100k.

Louis Ritman's "Lady by a Window," oil on canvas. To my eye, an American Bonnard. Estimated bid: $250k to $350k.

I could go on and on — about Milton Avery's "Red Roses by the Sea" or Elie Nadelman's "Early Ideal Head" or George Tooker's "Window X" — or I could provide this link to the catalogue and ask for readers' ideas on what they suppose or hope Walton might pick up at the auction.

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Missing Daphne man found in Mobile

Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 6:46 PM ??? Updated: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 7:09 PM

DAPHNE, Alabama -- A 79-year-old man who disappeared this morning from his Daphne residence driving a blue Subaru Forester has been found in Mobile and reunited with his family, police said minutes ago

John M. Roth was found in good condition, Lt. Jud Beedy, Daphne police spokesman, said at about 6:45 p.m.

Roth, who recently moved to the area from Illinois, suffers from dementia and is unfamiliar with the area, according to a family member, Beedy said. The man’s family went to the store, and when they returned at about 11:30 a.m. he was gone, Beedy said earlier today.

"We would like to thank everyone for their help," Beedy said.

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Just say no to health care

Just say no to health care

Posted by Max Brantley on Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 2:05 PM

Survey says people think congressmen who ran against health care reform should not take government health insurance. This is aimed at mostly hypocritical Republicans, but there are some Democrats in this league, too. In other words, no member of the House from Arkansas next year should take the congressional or any other form of government health insurance. Like Rep. Ross said after his town hall meetings: The people have made their opinions clear.

Tags: government health insurance, Arkansas congressmen

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Open line Tuesday

Now's your chance. Odds and ends:

* Fellow named Robert Dean, an unemployed remodeler acting as his own attorney, sued in federal court in Little Rock today claiming new TSA screenings and searches are unconstitutional. Note that the imaging machine isn't in use in Little Rock yet.

* In the usual fog of feel-good and headline-grabbing early legislation comes one on the other side of the immigrant equation: Rep. Jim Nickels would provide civil penalties and even license revocation for contractors who employ workers without legal status.

* UPDATE: The Pulaski Quorum Court went with the 4 percent pay raise for everybody, including themselves. They got some Tea Party questioning about why ALL, not just, say, sheriff's deputies, needed the big raise. (Who knew Jeannie Burlsworth lived i Pulaski County. She's on the ragged edge.) Tea Party questions also hit the parks and trails projects — at Big Dam Bridge, Two Rivers Park, Clinton Library, Coleman Creek. They just don't understand transportation funds can't be spent on the jail. Only Phil Stowers and Doug Reed voted for a motion to exempt JPs from the pay raise.

Note to Judge Villines: The budget details are not on-line. they should be.

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Three-vehicle crash on Moffett Road kills one person

Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 10:32 PM ??? Updated: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 10:44 PM

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MOBILE, Ala. -- Three vehicles collided on Moffett Road tonight, killing one person, according to Mobile police.

Spokesman Officer Christopher Levy said the identity of the victim was not immediately released. He said the accident forced the closure of a long stretch of Moffett Road on either side of the crash scene.

Witnesses told the Press-Register a woman who was in a van involved in the?accident was?injured. Her condition was not known late Tuesday.

The crash, which was reported just before 8 p.m., left a red SUV demolished and overturned in the outside westbound lane of Moffett Road near Kuffskie Lane, about a quarter-mile west of Wolf Ridge Road.

A landscaping truck owned by Hosea O. Weaver and Sons Inc. ended up in the front yard of the home of LaCynthia Matthews-Adams. The damaged van was further west of the other two vehicles.

A member of the Weaver work crew told the Press-Register no one in the truck was injured. He said the truck was hauling a hydroseeder, a machine that plants a mix of mulch and seeds.

Witnesses to the crash said the red SUV was eastbound when it hit the van, struck the eastbound curb, went out of control and turned over before colliding with the westbound Hosea Weaver truck.

Matthews-Adams, who said she had just brought her 5-year-old son home from the hospital after a tonsillectomy, was inside her home when the wreck happened. She said she heard a series of crashing sounds “that were consistently coming closer” and moved herself and the boy toward the back of her house.

“When we looked out, we saw the wreck in our yard,” Matthews-Adams said. “I was hoping for a better outcome. It just brought tears to my eyes.”

Police closed Moffett Road from Wolf Ridge Road to Shelton Beach Road until just after 10 p.m.
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Fatal accident under investigation on Moffett Road

Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 10:22 PM ??? Updated: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 10:23 PM

MOBILE, Ala. -- Mobile police tonight are investigating a traffic accident which took the life of one person, spokesman Officer Christopher Levy said.

The accident happened about 7:45 p.m. near Moffett Road and Tareyton Drive, two blocks?west of Wolf Ridge Road. The name of the victim was not immediately released.

Levy said it?may be several hours before other details of the accident are?released. Traffic is being diverted around the accident scene, and police are urging motorists to avoid the area if possible.

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Thomas Hospital in Fairhope lays off 20 employees

Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 6:00 AM

FAIRHOPE, Alabama -- Two months after Thomas Hospital celebrated its 50th anniversary, hospital officials on Monday announced that a recent increase in uninsured patients had forced them to lay off 17 full-time employees and three part-time positions.

"This is probably due to the nation’s overall economy in general, and specifically due to the economic impact of the oil spill on Baldwin County," said Cynthia Maddox, vice president of marketing for Infirmary Health System, which controls the Fairhope-based hospital.

In the past year, Thomas Hospital has seen a 20 percent increase in "private pay services" -- that is, health care services for patients who are either uninsured or who cannot afford to pay their insurance premiums, she said.

"Statistically, we only get back 5 percent of what we do in private pay. But we don’t turn anyone away," Maddox said.

The layoffs became effective Nov. 17, she said. Most of the employees who were laid off held mid-management positions. None of them were medical personnel, Maddox said.

The Infirmary Health System includes Mobile Infirmary, Infirmary West, North Baldwin Infirmary and Thomas Hospital. The entire system last year spent $40 million on uncompensated care, Maddox said.

Thomas itself has about 1,100 employees, including 200 doctors.

Mark Nix, the head of Infirmary Health System, said he has seen more urgent-care facilities popping up and fewer people coming through the traditional medical system.

In part, that’s because people have lost health insurance or have seen their benefits reduced, he said, leading patients to try to manage costs and seek cheaper care.

One solution, Maddox said, is to go to the local emergency room, where they can’t be denied care.

Infirmary Health Systems announced in 2005 that it would lease and operate Fairhope’s Thomas Hospital, in exchange for paying down $44 million in debt and paying for an expansion.

Last year, Thomas Hospital completed a $40 million expansion, including a new emergency room and 64 additional patient rooms. The hospital is now 368,000 square feet and has 150 beds.

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Dinner for Thanksgiving orphans

Admittedly, not everyone who dines in a restaurant on Thanksgiving Day fits the category of holiday orphan. While there are many people who can’t go home for Thanksgiving because of circumstances, there are also people who’d just rather take the family out to eat rather than cook that damn turkey.

Click through for a list of places that have confirmed they’ll have the big meal ready for you come Thursday.

Ashley’s at the Capital is open for lunch and dinner, but you’re going to need reservations. Most of the early ones are gone, but there are some after 3 p.m. Call (501) 374-7474.

Across the street, the Peabody Hotel has its traditional Thanksgiving brunch in the Grand Ballroom. Capriccio’s is also serving lunch. (501) 399-8000.

Ya Ya’s Eurobistro will offer a Thanksgiving buffet 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at its location in the Promenade at Chenal. $26.95 for adults, $10.95 kids. (501) 821-1144.

The Riverfront Steakhouse at the Wyndham in North Little Rock will have its Thanksgiving buffet 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. for $19.95 a person ($11.95 for kids). (501) 371-9000.

The restaurant at the Doubletree downtown is having a Thanksgiving buffet for $14.95 from 11 a.m. to 2p.m. (501) 372-4371.

Camp David at the Holiday Inn Presidential Center has a Thanksgiving buffet for $19.95 and is taking reservations. The buffet will run 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (501) 975-2267.

Down in Benton, Ed and Kay’s will be offering their full menu plus turkey, ham and lots of pie from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (501) 315-3663.

In Hot Springs, both The Porterhouse and Belle Arti are offering Thanksgiving meals for $19.95/10.95 kids from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Porterhouse (501) 321-8282, Belle Arti (501) 624-7474.

Amongst the chains:
Dixie Café locations will be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with regular menu service.

Cracker Barrell locations will offer a Holiday Dinner from 11 a.m. to close consisting of turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, ham, sweet potato casserole, green beans, rolls and Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Pie (and a beverage) for $8.99/$4.99 kids.

T.G.I. Fridays locations plan to open at 4 p.m.

Mimi’s Café is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. with a special Thanksgiving dinner for $14.99/6.99 kids including dessert. Reservations are recommended. The number for the Little Rock location is (501) 221-3883.

Luby’s does its thing 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (501) 219-1567.

Other chain operations open for Thanksgiving — IHOP, Denny’s and Waffle House, a few Subways and McDonald’s here and there.

And for those whose Thanksgiving tradition includes ordering a pizza (like we often do), Pizza Hut starts taking orders at 4 p.m.

Y'all feel free to add more.

Added: Andrea Z. alerted me to Copeland's... they're offering a Pilgrim's Platter for $16.99 that includes cajun turkey and fixings, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (501) 312-1616.

The Hilton at I-630 and University will also be offering a Thanksgiving dinner, though I haven't been able to lock down the times yet. (501) 664-5020.

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Former Spring Hill College president gives final lecture

Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 6:45 AM

Rev. Greg Lucey, the former president of Spring Hill College, will become president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. ?(Press-Register file/Mary Hattler)

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Rev. Gregory F. Lucey gave his “Last Lecture” Monday night at Spring Hill College.

In a joking nod to students, faculty and staff, Lucey walked to the podium at Byrne Hall on campus wearing a boat captain’s hat, which drew loud laughter from the crowd.

His annual welcoming address to students, as Spring Hill’s president, Lucey would tell students they would have a “shipwreck” during their next four years in college.

Once behind the podium, the 77-year-old Lucey threw his hat into the crowd at Byrne Hall.

Lucey retired in 2009 after 12 years as Spring Hill’s 37th president.

He has been named president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is moving to Washington, D.C, in January. He will assume his new post June 30.

The idea behind the “Last Lecture” concept, which has become popular at college campuses, is to allow someone to speak one final time before the student body.

A native of Wisconsin and one of seven children, Lucey reflected on his parents during his speech, titled “Honor Your Mother and Father.”

Lucey recalled that in 1973 at age 40, he went into cardiac and pulmonary arrest and thought he was going to die. During his recuperation, he jotted down memories of his parents.

His father was a farmer who eventually operated a general store and a John Deere tractor business.

Lucey said it wasn’t unusual for his father to bring the homeless into their home for a meal or a place to sleep.

“I share my father’s story as a way of thanking him for this wonderful gift he gave me,” Lucey said.

He recalled the day he told his father he was going to become a priest. It was during the Korean War.

“He said, ‘Are you sure you aren’t avoiding the draft because of the Korean War?’” Lucey recalled. His father later said, “There is nothing I would rather have you do.”

Under Lucey’s 12-year-term, the school spent an estimated $100 million on renovation and construction projects.

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Charge dismissed against man accused of leaving scene of girlfriend's fatal accident

Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 5:45 AM

A Baldwin Circuit judge last week dismissed a?charge against a man accused of leaving the scene of an accident which killed his girlfriend last year.

Alfred Lee Banks pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in the August 2009 incident.

Lisa Taylor of Spanish Fort died after being struck by a passing car on Stagecoach Road. According to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Banks, Taylor and Taylor’s son were driving back to their home off Stagecoach Road when the couple began to argue and Taylor exited Banks’ truck while it was still moving. The boy got out immediately after his mother and Banks drove away. Taylor was then stuck and killed by a sedan.

In its case, the state argued that the 54-year-old Banks, who now lives in Daphne, knew Taylor was injured when she exited the truck and he was bound by law to stop and help, according to Assistant District Attorney Brant Richerson.

"The state presented evidence in the trial, including eyewitness testimony" that supported both counts of the indictment, Richerson said Monday in an e-mail. "If Mr. Banks had stopped to render aid, he could have prevented Ms. Taylor’s death."

Defense attorney Pascal Bruijn said the testimony of Taylor’s son changed at trial, indicating that Banks ran over Taylor. Following the accident, the boy told investigators he believed the truck hit his mother. But in an audio recording of an interview by an investigator with the Sheriff’s Office, Bruijn said the boy indicated that Banks had no knowledge that Taylor was injured when he left the scene.

After the state’s evidence, Bruijn said he asked Judge Charles Partin for the dismissal on the basis that his client was not required to stop and render assistance because he was unaware Taylor had been injured.

"We didn’t even put on a defense," he said.

Richerson said the victim’s son testified to what he remembered happening. "It is the state’s position that it should have been obvious to Alfred Banks that Ms. Taylor was injured when she exited a moving vehicle that he was driving."

On the DUI charge, Banks received the maximum 12-month sentence along with a fine of $2,100 and court costs and fees, according to his attorney. He received credit for the 14 months he served awaiting trial, Bruijn said.

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The readers take over

Line is open. Closing tidbit:

* Jason Tolbert has done some digging into the amount of money ad/PR man Craig Douglass has made working for the commission studying ways to raise highway money and doing communications work for the House of Representatives. More than $300,000 from the two jobs, is how much. That includes $145,000 for House website development.

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Dinner with Bill Clinton?

Dinner with Bill Clinton?

Posted by Max Brantley on Mon, Nov 22, 2010 at 4:36 PM

Like to join the former president for dinner at Cafe 42. It'll cost a minimum of $25,000, but he hopes to auction the opportunity for more. It's all for charity. Read all about it.

Tags: Bill Clinton, Cafe 42

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Man arrested in car reported taken in Friday carjacking

Published: Sunday, November 21, 2010, 9:01 PM

MOBILE, Ala. -- A 21-year-old man was arrested this afternoon when police said he was stopped while driving a car taken in a carjacking Friday, spokesman Officer Christopher Levy said.

Traytwun Lagreg Fowler was charged with first-degree receiving stolen property, Levy said. He was in Mobile County Metro Jail Sunday night with bail set at $7,500, jail records show.

Levy said Fowler was stopped on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in a 1999 Chevrolet Lumina that was reported taken at gunpoint from two teenagers Friday afternoon in a parking lot in the 1800 block of St. Stephens Road. No one was injured.
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Tomorrow's forecast today for coastal Alabama: Morning fog expected

Published: Sunday, November 21, 2010, 5:44 PM ??? Updated: Sunday, November 21, 2010, 5:52 PM

Today's high was 78. The record for Nov. 21 is 82, recorded in 1994.

Tropical outlook: Tropical cyclone activity is not expected in the next 48 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Atlantic hurricane season ends Nov. 30.

Monday: Fog early, then mostly cloudy. Highs in the mid- to upper 70s. Lows in the mid-40s to mid-60s. Chance of rain 10 percent.

Tuesday: Cloudy. Highs in the mid- to upper 70s. Lows in the 50s. Chance of rain 10 percent.

(For a complete forecast, see Monday's Press-Register. For other Alabama weather news, visit al.com/weather.)

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