McInnes On Roads

Joe McInnes, head of ALDOT, the Alabama Department Of Transportation, spoke in Tuscaloosa last week. Joe retired from Blount Construction but was hired to run ALDO by Gov Riley.  Joe is big on the idea that roads should not be built or repaired based on political points, but on real needs on the highways of Alabama.
ALDOT has the second largest budget of any department in Alabama state government.  Can you guess which one is second? The budget is around $1.4 Billion per year and includes state and federal highways in Alabama.  That means interstates and state roadways.  Although this seems a huge amount it's just barely enough to keep roads in reasonably good condition.
Joe said that ever since Riley went into office all projects are based on what the engineers and traffic information believe are the most important projects to address.  Gone are the days when a little bribe or favoritism postpones a desperately need job while a pet project moves forward. Today if a section of road is deemed a death trap it gets funding quicker. This has been the greatest improvement at ALDOT according to Joe.
Joe explained that, even though some projects need to be completed, most projects take years to complete because of the lack of funding and proper management of funding.  There is always a lot of maintainence to do while new roads are being built and they take funding too.
Joe said an 18 year long lawsuit, which cost the state millions of dollars in legal fees, was settled and the department is now better able to address roads rather than face lawyers.
Tuscaloosa is in the 5th District of ALDOT.  The major projects for our area include: finishing US 82 Tuscaloosa to the Mississippi state line, finishing the US 82 bypass extending around Centreville, and making McFarland a six lane from the AL 69 to Rice Mine Road.  There are also plans for six lanes on I-20/59 going west.  The huge eastern bypass is a long term project which will be let in 10 segments over the next 10 to 20 years.  Joe says it cost $1.5 million per lane mile to build a road...so new road take up cash very fast.
As far as highway safety, Joe says the number one thing to save from highway traffic deaths would be for everyone to buckle up and wear their seatbelts.  That, more than anything else Joe says would immediately reduce highway deaths and serious injuries in significant numbers. 

MERCEDES BENZ

WELCOMES NEW CEO

I really liked Ola Kaellenius, a Swede who was managing the local Mercedes Benz plant.  But Ola has headed back to Germany to head up the AMG.
The new President and CEO of Mercedes Benz US is Markus Schaefer.  Markus has worked over 20 years with Mercedes. He had worked at the Vance plant for five years from 2002 t0 2006.
Tuscaloosa welcomes Markus Schaefer, and bids a fond farewell to Ola Kaellenius. An exciting future awaits Tuscaloosa as production of the C Class automobile begins in 2012.

DAVE BAIRD TALKS TV

              -Mike Woodard

              Years ago there was a local television station named WCFT 33.  On that channel I remember watching Cathy Randall, Kip Tyner, and Dave Baird.  Dave Baird has been on the small screen for 25 year now, and started on the radio 40 years ago.  That’s a lot of experience in broadcasting. He’d worked with Bert Bank and James Spann and several other figures of note in the broadcasting industry in our neck of the woods.

Dave spoke in Tuscaloosa this week about his life and times in broadcasting and journalism.  He graduated from the University of Alabama from the school of journalism many years ago. Today Dave serves as an anchor and special feature reporter for the Birmingham ABC 33/40 station.

Over the years it appears that Baird hasn’t lost his sense of humor. He said the number one question kids ask him is: What do you do if you are on television and you have to go to the bathroom.  He said in college a professor offered to change his grade for him.  He thought that was great until he realized it was a threat to lower his grade if he didn’t get to work!

Speaking seriously, Baird said he was worried about the future of journalism as the internet takes the money out of newspapers and television advertising.  He said he wants people to know that journalist and pundits are not the same thing. He hopes that people will notice that what some are calling newscasts are actually pundits talking as if they are reporting news but they are simply pundits. These are typically cable news channels running 24 hour programming he said.

Baird believes that true journalists vet their stories to make sure they are reporting facts rather than opinions. A case in point was when Fox News reported a twitter they received about a supreme court justice retiring, when in fact no such thing had happened. Baird said he believes that situations like what occurred in Iran last year, where the only way to get news out was via twitters, is a good thing.  But he believes that’s when journalists have to take over and verify reports before they are presented to viewers or listeners as truth.

                MADDOX LOOKS

   TO THE FUTURE 

           -Mike Woodard 

           Mayor Walt Maddox spoke last week at the Tuscaloosa Rotary Club about the positive developments reaching fruition in Tuscaloosa.

Maddox was pleased that the population of Tuscaloosa has grown by around 20% since the year 2000.  Some of that was based on growth at the University of Alabama.  This growth rate makes Tuscaloosa the second fastest growing city in Alabama.

In order to accommodate the growing population Maddox believes it’s time to incentivize new retail establishments coming to our city.  Maddox believes there are still many categories of retail establishments in Birmingham which entice people to drive to Birmingham from Tuscaloosa and shop.  He believes that if more of these businesses could be enticed to locate in Tuscaloosa less shopping dollars would be lost to Birmingham.

Maddox noted that the new amphitheatre is on target to host it’s first concert by next winter, around January of 2011.  However, he said the severity of this winter and the rain fall has slowed construction...but stated that the project was still on budget and that the delays were not increasing the expense of the project.

And Maddox noted that the new 129,000 square foot federal building project on University Blvd in downtown Tuscaloosa is also underway. This construction site is an entire city block! He also noted that construction of the new farmers market on Jack Warner Parkway, estimated at $3.5 million, will also soon begin construction.  And, to top it off as if there isn’t enough already, there is a renovation project for the historic Queen City Pool building, also on Jack Warner Parkway.

All in all the mayor was very upbeat about the renewal projects and new construction, as well as the dynamic growth potential for the city.  Despite the current economy setbacks, Maddox sees a very bright future for the city of Tuscaloosa.

Some of that excitement for our city comes from have a dynamic Mayor like Walt Maddox.

WARRIOR RIVER HAMPTON

Announcement of new Hampton Hotel on the Warrior River in Northport Signals New Era for the Tuscaloosa Area.

So what's the big deal?  It's another Hampton Hotel that just happens to be on the Warrior River in downtown Northport at the end of Main Ave....with a great location and view by the river.  But, it means the potential for more hotels, more shopping, entertainment locations....and eventually tourism and conventions in Tuscaloosa.  This area has never been considered by corporations wanting to hold large training, trade shows, or other events because there just wasn't enough happening to entertain folks when they arrive at our destination...and we haven't had the facilities to accomodate them anyway.  The river is a nature for creating a tourist site, and with this first hotel things can grow from there.  There are restaurants within walking distance, and there's the river park and walkway for visitors to enjoy from this hotel location. 

It's a first step, but the most important step of all sometimes is the first, toward creating this destination out of Tuscaloosa.  It's an exciting development and someday could lead to commercial air service to and from Atlanta or Memphis.  Someday....Tuscaloosa might be on the map for more than just football.

BAMA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

The Tide faithful celebrated the victory over Texas in Bama winning the NationalChampionship in Pasadena, CA 37-21. Texas quaterback Colt McCoy was knocked out of the game by Alabama defensive lineman Darrius with an injury to his throwing arm.

INGRAM WINS HEISMAN!

After all the football greats that have graced the field for Alabama, names like Namath, Musso, Stabler, and a hundred more....and after all the National Championships won by the Crimson Tide, and SEC Championship....and after having, for a while at least, the winningest coach in history with 323 wins, finally....an Alabama player has won the most coveted individual award in college football.  The Heisman Trophy.  

Mark Ingram may not be the greatest player Alabama has ever had, but he's great. He may not be the most photogenic or charismatic...but he's a good man.  His accomplishments this year have distinguished him, and helped position the Tide for it's 14th National Championship.

Ingram showed class and integrity...and shed a few sincere tears in his acceptance of the stiff arm award...and he's joined an elite group of mighty football greats over the past 75 years.  As a matter of fact, Ingram won the 75th Heisman Trophy ever awarded.  He thanked his family, his coaches, his team mates...because it's aways the truth that one man does not himself make great.

We watched the presentation on TV, with my extended family...and when they announced Ingram as the winner...we all jumped up and cheered.  This is also a victory for they fans of the Tide, the Tide Pride family also felt a part of this great victory.  For although the trophy was given to Mark Ingram...in a way it was given to all of us who love and cheer to victory the Alabama Crimson Tide. Roll Tide!

LSU VS BAMA

A BATTLE TO REMEMBER

  Conditioning proved to be in the Tide's favor.

-Mike Woodard

It appeared to me that LSU wasn't in as good of physical condition as Bama. If the game had continued for a fifth quarter I think the score would have been lopsided in the Tide's favor.

Injuries are an indicator of conditioning.  LSU had 4 key players injured and out of the game: the starting quarterback, running back, center, and defensive end. Bama delivered bone crushing blows...all legal, against LSU and frankly they looked kinda gun shy by the end of the game.

But, it was a mighty battle that LSU was in just as determined as the Tide. Jones shone through for the first time in a long time with several receptions and an impressive 73 yard pass/run effort for a touchdown. McElroy played a much better game than his last three...with an impressive touchdown pass to Smelley.  Ingram continued his leadership and gained over 100 yards to show why he's a Heisman candidate.  Bama took it in an exciting win, 24 to 15.  Bama moved back up to #2 in the nation and will face Florida in the SEC Championship.

Bama controls it's National Championship destiny...Bama beats Florida, becomes Number One, then faces Texas to square it proper. But first....a few more games...starting with Miss State in Starkville this Saturday.  Roll Tide!

     DEGA BIG FUN

-by Mike Woodard

We had more fun at Talladega this year than ever before.  There was a smaller crowd....you could sit anywhere you wanted in the stands. So we moved around, up into the highest points of the towers to see the whole track (I took this photo of Jeff Gordon leading the race), and down to the track side to feel the rubber hit the pavement.  We got into the grounds in record time, and drove home from the place about as fast as if we hadn't come from this grand race.  That's a first.

The race was exciting...then turned to plane dull as they single filed for a couple of hundred miles.  As with all NASCAR races, it's an excuse to party.  We listened to a fantastic southern rock band before the race named Blackberry Smoke (they were great), that was worth the trip.

And, the last ten laps are really what you come there for...and this year Talladega delivered two extraordinary wrecks to wind the race up.  Sorry to say it seems Talladega is getting a bad reputation with the drivers for mind boggling wrecks as a finale...I'm sure tearing up those cars and having the winner turn out to be pot luck is discouraging...but that's restrictor plate I guess.

13 cars spun, flipped and flew in the final straight away on the final lap.   McMurry won...and he never would have without that crash.  Gordon lead most laps for the cup pointer...but the big winner was Jimmy Johnson, as cup points leader he took 6th, missed the wrecks..and looks like he's got the cup almost in hand. This would be a record 4th consecutive cup winner...he'll be a hall of famer for sure!

PITCH PERFECT PIANO TUNERS

             Many people when faced with the prospect of living blind would take a “Woe Is Me” approach and not live life in a quest to live to the fullest. And that’s why I want you to meet three blind men here in Tuscaloosa who tune pianos and reach for all the gusto life has to offer.

Buddy Gray, Mickey Teubner, and Tim Ruckhaber learned to tune pianos in special programs for the blind.  These blind men have a unique advantage for doing this because blind people learn to rely on their sense of sound more.

Tim Ruckhaber is “Pitch Pefect” which means he can listen to a note and tell which note it is. I sang a note for Tim and asked him what he thought...he said “C Sharp”, then Mickey played a C Sharp on a piano and sure enough that was what I had sang.  But, we all agree that I shouldn’t do that again!

Each man has a story of the most famous piano they’ve tuned, Tim tuned a piano Elvis Presley took lessons on, Buddy tuned Lionel Rich and Lee Greenwoods piano.  Buddy greatest recollection is of tuning a piano for Mrs. Reed, the wife of one of the owners of the Ringling Bros & Barnum Bailey Circus.

Buddy plays drums in a band he recently formed, Vintage Gray, and also owns a fire equipment company.

Tim and Mickey showed me how they tune a piano.  First they use a tuning fork to match an initial note to perfect tune, from that point up or down the keyboard, they use their ears...and a tool that looks a lot like a socket wrench. Most notes are actually two or three strings sounding off...each has to hit the correct higher or lower note and then all three strings has to match each other.  Once they’ve finished turning a piano, it’s pitch perfect.

The men have drivers who carry them to churches, schools, and private homes to tune.  Buddy Gray Music tunes pianos across the southeastern United States. 

Tim and Mickey showed me their computers. Special computers enable them to get online and visit websites, email, all the things you can do with yours.  They love their computers. They also love music: writing, composing, arranging is a passion.

These men really inspired me. Let them be an inspiration to you. If they can see the way to live as blind men, then you shouldn’t feel sorry for yourself...just get to living.  These guys are really happy characters.  We sure laughed a lot while we were together. Call Buddy Gray to get your piano tuned at 345-1296.

METH: EVIL FOR OUR COMMUNITY

-By Mike Woodard    mike@tuscaloosa-shopper.com

             Tuscaloosa District Attorney Tommy Smith spoke at the Tuscaloosa Rotary recently and presented a film about Meth...Zero Meth. Frankly, not being a part of this “culture” I had no idea of the magnitude of the disaster Meth is causing in our community or nationwide.

     Meth is arguably the meanest and worse drug to ever hit the streets.  People who start using it typically can’t stop using it...and it takes over their lives, destroys their lives. They lose weight, start having facial lesions, lose their teeth to rotting, and typically that’s just the appearance destruction.

The film showed before and after photos of meth users...like a weight lost commercial gone bad. They lose weight alright, but they look like shells of their former selves. Hideous destruction of appearance is common.

     But appearances are only the surface. Many people who just “try” the drug, end up selling anything they have, stealing anything they can get their hands on, killing family or friends or total strangers...just to get another fix.

     And once on the drug it is said it never leaves the person who tries it and gets hooked...they will crave it until they die. This may all sound a little far fetched to those without intimate knowledge of this horrible drug...but it’s a stone cold hard truth.

     The only way to protect yourself or family is to make sure no one you know ever tries this disgusting poison.

     Tommy Smith is trying to get the word out to parents, to school systems, to the community...that this is not just another illegal drug out there.  This is by far the worse disaster the district attorney’s office has ever seen.  The number of cases on the grand jury docket has jumped from 50 to 75 to 500 or more. Prisons are overcrowding. The only hope is to convince people to never try Meth. Take Tommy Smith’s advice...never try this drug...ever.