2024 Upcoming Holiday deadlines: MvT will be closed for Memorial Day, Monday, May 27. MvT will be closed for the 4th of July Thursday, July 4 & Friday, July 5th. Late deadline for the July 11th edition will be Monday, July 8th before 9 a.m. MvT will be closed for Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2. MvT will be closed for Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11. Deadline for Thanksgiving is Friday, Nov. 22. MvT will be closed for Thanksgiving week and will reopen Monday, Dec. 2. Santa Letters deadline is Friday, Dec. 6. Deadline for the Christmas Edition (12-25) & New Year’s Edition (1-1) is Thursday, Dec. 19. We have to submit both papers early due to the printing company being closed for the holidays.
Hale County Animal Shelter Pet of the week
Abner and Eustice! Cute male pit pups. 12 weeks old. Laurie Nevin, Hale County Animal Shelter, 334-624-8120. The shelter needs list: disinfecting bleach, paper towels, laundry detergent, clumping cat litter, dawn dishwashing liquid, fabuloso, purina puppy/kitten chow, purina dog/cat chow, puppy/kitten toys, tough dog toys, dog/cat chow, 13 gallon trash bags, puppy pads, fancy feast wet cat/kitten food. Any nutritious brand of food is acceptable.
Church & Community Events
St. Paul District Association Women’s Auxiliary Spring Board Meeting
The St. Paul District Association Women’s Auxiliary will have its’ Spring Board meeting on April 20, at 10 a.m. in the district’s building. Ideas and information of importance will be shared so your presence is extremely vital. Let’s work together to keep our beloved St. Paul District spiritually moving forward.
April’s Grow More, Give More Harvest of the Month is Sweet Peas
Find growing instructions as well as yummy recipes that use sweet peas at https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/lawn-garden/april-grow-more-give-more-harvest-of-the-month
ADPH Celebrates Pecan Month
Happy National Pecan Month! Try out Fruits & Veggies—Have A Plant’s delicious spinach, strawberry, and pecan salad to celebrate: bit.ly/49ks9IF.
NABD Matron’s Ministry
Canned Food Drive
NABD Matron’s Ministry Canned Food Drive will be April 29 at 5- 6:30 p.m. in the back parking lot of the Tuscaloosa Religious Center, 1629 MLK Blvd., Tuscaloosa.
Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
Applicants must apply online at the website below: agi.alabama.gov/farmersmarket/ If you need assistance or do not have access to a computer, call the Hale County-Alabama Extension Office at 334-624-8710 and someone will be happy to assist you.
St. Peter Catholic Church
190th Anniversary
St. Peter Catholic Church celebrates its 190th Anniversary on Sun., April 28, at a 10:30 a.m. Mass with the Most Rev. Thomas J. Rodi as celebrant, along with the Rev. Father Thomas LaPointe, homilist, begins the anniversary celebration. Following Mass, a Eucharistic Procession with clergy, parishioners, and visitors will travel around the city block beginning and ending at the church’s entrance at Adams Avenue. A reception in Cusack Hall concludes the celebration.
Newbern Library to Host Art Talk
The Newbern Library will host a speaker from the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn at the Library on Friday evening, April 19, at 6 p.m. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Jule has current exhibits highlighting the work of several African-American Southern artists entitled “Biography, Archives, and Junk: How Southern Artists Excavate their Art.” Dr. Randi Evans, Manager of Public Practice at the Jule, will discuss the artists and their work: how they utilize found objects – from archival documents to discarded materials – to create art that responds to personal, regional, and national histories. Among the featured artists are Alabamians Bethany Collins, Lonnie Holley and Thornton Dial, known for his eclectic sculptures using a variety of unusual materials. Unusual materials were also used by artist and filmmaker Elizabeth M. Webb – soil, USDA agricultural maps and 16mm film – to create her art for this exhibit that explores the complex link “between social and natural histories” of a specific area. The art talk on April 19 is part of an ongoing partnership of the Jule Collins Smith Museum and the Newbern Library. The public is invited to this free presentation. Light refreshments will be served afterwards.
NAMI Family-to-Family Program
NEW Announcement: NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Alabama is providing a virtual family education program (on zoom) beginning May 9, from 6-8:30pm. The NAMI Family- to-Family Program is a free 8-week educational program for families and significant others of people with a mental health condition. The program is peer lead by individuals who have been through similar situations, provides information and strategies for taking care of the person you love. Registration is required. Please email [email protected] or call 205-267-2986 for more information.
Friends of Hale County Library
The Friends of Hale County Library is excited to present Randi Pink, the author of “Angel of Greenwood” as part of their Library Lecture Series. The event will be held on Thurs., April 25, at the Hale County Library, at 1103 Main St. Greensboro.
School Events
Perkins Scholarship
Shelton State Community College has reopened a scholarship for students pursuing careers in gender nontraditional fields. Applications for the Perkins Scholarship will be accepted through April 19. Applicants must complete the Perkins Scholarship and the College’s admission applications (if not already admitted or enrolled) and plan to enroll in a gender-nontraditional program of study. The term “gender nontraditional” refers to occupations or work areas, including careers in computer science, technology, and other emerging high-skill occupations in which individuals from one gender comprise less than 25 percent of the individuals employed in that occupation or field. Female nontraditional careers are occupations in which less than 25 percent of individuals employed are female. Male nontraditional careers are occupations where less than 25 percent of employed individuals are male. Many current and former Shelton State Community College students have found enrolling in a nontraditional gender program to be a rewarding and life-changing experience. You can view the success stories of some of these nontraditional students on the Shelton State Scholarships page under Perkins Scholarship. The scholarship-eligible programs of study are viewable by gender on the Shelton State Perkins Scholarship application. To view the gender nontraditional scholarship eligible programs and to apply for the scholarship, please visit Shelton State Perkins Scholarship or sheltonstate.edu.
2024 Congressional Art Competition for Alabama’s 7th Congressional District
U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced that her office is now accepting submissions for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition. The competition is open to high school students from both public and private schools throughout Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, as well as home-schooled high school students. The winner will receive free round-trip airfare for two to Washington D.C. to attend an official reception honoring the winners from congressional districts across the nation. The winner’s artwork will be showcased in the U.S. Capitol for one year. This year’s theme is “Alabama Story Makers: The Historic People and Places of the Cotton State.” To enter the contest, students must fill out and submit a Student Information and Release Form with their artwork by Fri., April 26. Students should deliver their submission to one of Rep. Sewell’s district offices located in Birmingham, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa. Students can also bring their submissions to school and call (334) 262-1919 for pick up. Artwork may be up to 26” high X 26” wide X 4” deep. For more information, contact Rep. Sewell’s Montgomery Office at (334) 262-1919 or visit her official website at sewell.house.gov/art-competition.
$50K in Scholarships Up for Grabs
History will be made in June as the Alabama State Games awards a combined $50,000 in scholarships as part of the Opening Ceremony on June 7. The $50,000 scholarship announcement is another piece added to the puzzle of what is shaping up to be the largest event since the Alabama State Games’ inception in 1982. The 41st Alabama State Games are once again being hosted by the City of Birmingham and Jefferson County June 7-9 and have 23 sports on offer hosted by venues in Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Gardendale, Homewood, and Pelham. Hotel, event and registration information can be found at ALAGAMES.com. Two of the $5,000 scholarships will be given in memory of Fred and Rheta Skelton. Two more $5,000 scholarships have been added to the academic offering and will be awarded as well as several $1,000 academic awards. An added benefit to the scholarship initiative for the 41st Alabama State Games is a first-time partnership with Jacksonville State University. Jax State has generously agreed to match the scholarship award given to any current, soon-to-be or future member of Gamecock Nation. From there it’s the luck of the draw. The Alabama State Games was founded in 1982 at the request of the United States Olympic Committee. Since 1982 the Games have grown into the state’s largest annual multi-sport competition with nearly 5,000 athletes competing in 20+ sports for gold, silver, and bronze medals and opportunities to be awarded academic scholarships. Fostering a culture of academic success, a scholarship initiative was created and has to date awarded $363,000 in academic scholarships to any 2-year, 4-year college, university or trade school. In 2024, $50,000 will be awarded. The Alabama State Games’ core beliefs are academic excellence, healthy lifestyles, and good citizenship.
UA to Hold Spring 2024 Commencement May 3-5
The University of Alabama will hold spring commencement with eight ceremonies May 3-5 at Coleman Coliseum on the UA campus. More information, including live and recorded webcast details, an interactive campus map, parking information, graduate profile stories and fast facts about the 2024 spring class can be found on UA’s commencement website. Commencement information can be heard on UA’s radio station, 92.5 FM.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Success By 6 of United Way of West Alabama is proud to provide Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library books FREE to children ages birth to 5 years old in Greene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter, and Tuscaloosa counties. Once a month, your child will receive a new book by mail. You only need to do two things: register your child and pledge to read the books to him/her. Please, climb on board Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library! Since UWWA launched the Dolly Parton Imagination Library: 13,467 children have participated in the program in Greene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter, and Tuscaloosa Counties. 10,427 children have “graduated” from the program. 443,856 books have been delivered to children in West Alabama. Sign up at https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/
| UA Preview: This Week at The University of Alabama Alabama Cyber Institute Leadership The Alabama Cyber Institute at The University of Alabama has reemerged under new leadership and strategic vision and is positioned to be a leader in computationally focused research. Why This Matters: ACI aims to advance computational research and empower UA faculty-led research that supports the University’s key research institutes in water, transportation, life research and materials, with plans to expand into new focus areas in the future. Youth Summer Camps UA will offer a variety of youth summer camps for children and teenagers from around the state and nation that provide engaging learning opportunities. Why This Matters: With options featuring a wide range of subject matter and activities, UA Youth Programs’ summer camps offer something for all children and teenagers. Around 20,000 youth participated in UA summer camps last year. Rural Health Conference The UA College of Community Health Sciences will host the 23rd annual Rural Health Conference April 17-18 at the Bryant Conference Center. This year’s event is titled, “Turning the Tide… On Individual, Domestic, and Community Violence.” Why This Matters: The Rural Health Conference focuses on health care issues relevant to rural communities. Each year, the conference provides a platform for health care professionals, community leaders, researchers, government officials and representatives of faith-based organizations who come together to hear from prominent speakers and share critical information and knowledge about the health disparities that impact rural Alabama. RISE Center Fundraiser The UA RISE Center will host the RISE Tournament of Champions April 18-19 to support fundraising efforts to help provide transformational opportunities to its students. Why This Matters: There are six RISE programs across the country and RISE Tuscaloosa is the only program that does not charge tuition to families with children who have special needs. Fundraisers like the golf and tennis tournaments are crucial to the school’s success. Goldwater Scholars The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program selected University of Alabama students Jackson Maxwell, Lena Seyfarth and Michael Zengel as Goldwater Scholars for 2024-2025. Why This Matters: By providing scholarships to college students who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering, the Goldwater Foundation is helping ensure that the U.S. is producing the number of highly qualified professionals the nation needs in these critical fields. Graduate School Centennial The UA Graduate School and Graduate Council are celebrating 100 years at the Capstone. Why This Matters: The UA Graduate School provides transformational advanced education opportunities with enrollments continuing to grow in recent years, alongside the growth in research and UA’s relatively new Research-1 status. 📅 EVENTS Yunte Huang Lecture, Book Signing and Discussion April 15-16; Gorgas Library Yellowhammer Room She Loves Me April 18-21; Marian Gallaway Theatre Huxford Symphony Orchestra and University Choirs April 18; Moody Music Building Concert Hall |