“The fact that Fess St. John is willing to serve as our Interim Chancellor without compensation is a tremendous public service,” Board Trustee Joe Epsy said in a statement.

“We are extremely grateful that he is willing to step in and take on these complex administrative duties at a crucial time for our campuses and the UAB Health System,” Epsy continued, in part.

St. John graduated cum laude from Alabama in 1978, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa and Jasons. He went on to receive a law degree from the University of Virginia.

Astronomers have established with good evidence the existence of “low-mass” black holes, which are judged to be between 3 and 30 times more massive than the sun, as well as “super-massive” black holes, one of which has been discovered in our own galaxy to be 4 million times more massive than the sun.

“We know that low-mass black holes form and we know that high-mass black holes form,” Dr. Irwin explained, “but between these two book ends, it’s not clear whether there’s a mechanism in nature that allows black holes to be formed with, say, a mass above one hundred times the mass of our sun and below one million times the mass of our sun.”

There’s pretty good evidence now, though, that such medium-sized black holes do exist.

As Dr. Irwin explained, when a black hole rips up and consumes a star, its debris becomes very hot and emits x-ray radiation, creating data that becomes observable over time.

“There’s already a built-in time lag, based upon the distance of the object,” Irwin said.

The observations that led to this discovery were made through what Dr. Irwin described as a detective-like process.

The astronomer who began the project, Dr. Dacheng Lin, was actually a post-doctoral researcher under Irwin in years past. Dr. Lin began looking back at data recorded by a variety of telescopes in Europe and the United States between 2003 and 2006 and discovered an observable change at a particular spot in this far-away universe.

“There was a bright x-ray source in one observation and it was dimmer in the next one,” Irwin explained.

“Piecing together the history he was able to discover that this probably happened, or at least this radiation reached the earth’s telescopes, probably sometime in 2003,” he said.

Irwin stressed that we’ve known about black holes for a long time, but not of this type.

“This idea of stars being torn apart isn’t a new idea,” he said. “What’s new is that we’re seeing stars ripped apart by one of these mid-sized black holes.”

@jeremywbeaman is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News

Made up of about 65 students from across eight disciplines including engineering and computer science, Alabama Astrobotics is the only team to win more than once in the nine-year history of the NASA contest, placing first in 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017 and, now, 2018.

“Our team is just like a football team, you have seniors who graduate at the end and you have new people coming in at the beginning, so every year it’s a completely different team,” said team lead and electrical engineering student Max Eastepp. “For us to be successful this year says a lot for this team and says a lot for how we adapt to new challenges each year.”

Eastepp, a native of New Orleans, said teamwork is critical as students worked from July through the contest this month to design the robot and tackle the new problem NASA presented this year.

Contest organizers revised the rules and rubrics this year to reflect the discovery that water ice is prevalent throughout the Red Planet. The challenge is to mine the precious icy regolith, simulated with gravel in the contest, since water ice will provide oxygen, water and fuel for future off-world colonists.

What that meant for the contest, though, is no points were awarded to teams for digging the top foot of regolith. Teams earned points for collecting the gravel 12 inches below the surface.

UA’s robot mined more of the gravel than any other team in the contest, with many teams failing to mine any gravel.

Also, Alabama Astrobotics was the only team with a robot that competed entirely autonomously, meaning the robot used computer programming to guide itself, mine and deposit the soil and gravel without any directions from students during the contest.

The team placed first in five of nine categories: mining, autonomy, systems engineering paper, efficient use of communications power and outreach reports. In all, the students won $11,000 for use on next year’s robot.

Dr. Kenneth Ricks, team adviser and associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, said the team’s consistent success comes from a culture of sticking to a plan – meeting deadlines, testing thoroughly before competition and paying attention to detail.

“We know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done,” he said. “If our students buy into that process, they know they will have opportunities to be successful.”

The team received funding from the Alabama Space Grant Consortium, NASA, Dynetics, Fitz-Thors Engineering, Crank N Chrome and the university.

(Courtesy of University of Alabama)

One reason for this is those ejected from vehicles during crashes have 50 times the death rate as those who remain in the vehicles, and the probability of being thrown from vehicles increases about 337 times for those not restrained.

“There is no doubt that seat belts are the most effective way of reducing the chances of getting killed in a crash,” said Dr. David Brown, a research associate at CAPS who led the study. “The chances of avoiding a crash altogether that involves injury over your driving lifetime is very low, so these are not just hypothetical or extreme examples. They are real life-and-death probabilities.”

Along with an increased chance of dying in a crash if unrestrained, there is an increased chance of serious injury. About one in seven unrestrained motorists involved in a crash will sustain a serious injury, while only about one in 50 properly restrained motorists will have a serious injury.

The chances of serious injury for those unrestrained increase by more than a factor of seven. For those who buckle up, nine out of 10 are not injured during a crash.

Some of the other interesting factors include driver and passenger demographics and other correlations:

–Those between the ages 17 and 36 are unrestrained significantly more than average.
–Males are about twice as likely to be unrestrained as females.
–If all back-seat occupants were properly restrained, it would result in an estimated saving of 62 lives per year in Alabama.
–Unrestrained drivers are about 2.5 times more likely to have their crashes in the rural areas than in the cities.

Brown said there are many things drivers should do to prevent severe traffic crashes in addition to the use of seatbelts. They include, in the order of ability to prevent fatal crashes:

–Slowing down, as the probability of fatality doubles for every 10 mph increase.
–Pulling over to a safe stopping point until distractions, such as cell phones, are resolved.
–Never driving or riding with anyone who has had any alcohol or who has taken any mind-altering drugs, even if prescribed.
–Anticipating and avoiding bad weather, especially when coupled with darkness.
–Watching for deer if traveling just after dark and slowing down.
–Driving defensively to reduce risk by putting distance between others vehicles, staying out of the blind spots of large trucks and letting aggressive drivers pass.

(Courtesy of the University of Alabama)

Rondini’s parents last year sued Abernathy, two investigators and others over their handling of Rondini’s claims of sexual assault while attending Alabama in 2015. She killed herself in 2016.

Abernathy says a judge has now dismissed claims against him and his officers, and he says civil lawsuits are possible against people who have spread what he calls “slander” on social media.

Abernathy isn’t saying who might be a target of any lawsuit.

(Associated Press, copyright 2018)
Sign-up now for our daily newsletter and never miss another article from Yellowhammer News.

The comprehensive study underscores the contributions and growth potential of the statewide life sciences sector, a robust combination of research institutions, medical labs, innovative startups, international pharmaceutical manufacturers, and more.

“We have exceptional strengths in biosciences, including world-class research organizations and a roster of cutting-edge companies, so it’s a natural growth area for the state,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

“We’re committed to helping accelerate the development of the life sciences sector, and we want the state to become home to more of these high-paying jobs and the talented individuals to fill them,” he added.

MASSIVE IMPACT

The analysis, conducted for the BioAlabama industry trade group, shows that Alabama’s 780 life sciences companies directly employ 17,871 workers, each earning an average annual salary of $67,664. Total expenditures of those companies exceed $3.8 billion a year.

Other key findings in the University of Alabama (UA) report:

The bioscience industry’s 47,980 direct and indirect jobs in Alabama support a total yearly payroll of $2.3 billion.
The industry contributes $3.9 billion annually to Alabama’s gross domestic product (GDP), nearly 2 percent of the state’s total economic output.

The industry’s earnings impact generates $161.4 million in tax revenue annually, including $74.7 million in state income taxes and $86.7 million in state and local sales taxes.
In addition, the UA researchers examined the economic contributions of bio-industries such as agricultural feedstock and chemicals, and bioscience-related distribution.

They found that these activities magnified the impact of the core life sciences sector in Alabama, elevating overall economic output to $11 billion a year with more than 70,000 jobs and annual tax revenue topping $233 million.

“This analysis confirms the far-reaching impact of Alabama’s bioscience industries throughout the state, and demonstrates why we continue to pursue strategies that allow the sector to continue to grow and create even more high-caliber jobs across the state,” said Blair King, president-elect of BioAlabama and manager of economic development and existing industry at Alabama Power Co.

DIVERSE ACTIVITIES

The foundations of Alabama’s bioscience research rest on the work conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Southern Research, the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, and the University of South Alabama’s Mitchell Cancer Institute.

Their specialties of these organizations include drug discovery and development, genomics, and personalized medicine. They also frequently engage in collaborations such as the Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance, a partnership between UAB and Southern Research that has developed a pipeline of potential therapeutics for diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

Alabama is also home to multinational companies involved in pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing. In March, Germany’s Evonik, for example, announced plans to expand production of biomaterials and launch a Global Competence Center for Medical Devices at its Birmingham facility.

“Evonik’s investments in the Birmingham site reflect its commitment to the medical device and drug delivery business as well as the city of Birmingham and its history of world-class medical research and technology,” said Kel Boisvert, Birmingham site manager for Evonik.

Other manufacturers operating in the state include Kowa Pharmaceuticals (Montgomery), Nektar Therapeutics (Huntsville), Baxter and Pharmavite (both Opelika), and Oxford Pharmaceuticals, Avanti Polar Lipids and Biohorizons (all Birmingham).

At the same time, a number of innovative startup companies have sprung up in Alabama, with many of them based at HudsonAlpha and Birmingham’s Innovation Depot, the Southeast’s largest technology business incubator.

Promising startups include Birmingham’s Blondin Bioscience, Huntsville’s GeneCapture, Mobile’s Swift Biotech and Auburn’s Vitruvias Therapeutics.

“We are fortunate to have started our business in Alabama because we have benefitted from the highly collaborative entrepreneurial spirit throughout the state, including Alabama Launchpad and the various Small Business Development Centers, and especially our connection with HudsonAlpha and the University of Alabama in Huntsville,” said BioAlabama President Peggy Sammon, CEO and co-founder of GeneCapture.

“We have been able to find highly skilled molecular biologists, chemical engineers, optical engineers and lab specialists,” she added. “Our membership in BioAlabama has connected us with other scientists and business professionals who have significantly helped us advance our business plan.”

Alabama’s research universities are key players in the bioscience ecosystem and contribute to the industry’s economic impact. The network includes Auburn University, USA, Tuskegee University, Alabama State University Alabama A&M University, and the three University of Alabama System campuses.

GROWTH POTENTIAL

The analysis is the first to comprehensively examine the economic impact of the state’s bioscience sector. It was prepared by Senior Research Economist Sam Addy, Ph.D., and his team at the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Business, with assistance from BioAlabama.

Addy noted in the report that investing in life sciences should remain a pillar of the state’s overall economic development strategy.

“Alabama should continue to keep biosciences as a focus in its economic development strategy since these industries provide high-wage jobs and are highly productive,” he writes.

WHAT OTHERS SAY

“Since launching its cancer program in 1946, Southern Research has discovered seven FDA-approved oncology drugs and made many significant discoveries that have helped patients with cancer and other diseases,” said Art Tipton, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Birmingham non-profit. “This highlights the vital importance of the groundbreaking bioscience work that continues to be done in labs in Alabama.”

“I see UAB as not only the hub for healthcare innovation in Birmingham, but definitely throughout the state and the region,” said Kathy Nugent, Ph.D., executive director of UAB’s Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “That means producing as many companies as possible. It’s harder to produce biotech companies, because it takes time to develop new drug therapies. What we’re trying to do is think about it strategically and give our faculty the resources they need to be entrepreneurial to turn their research into new life sciences ventures.”

“HudsonAlpha has gone from just a handful of startups and faculty to more than 35 life sciences companies and 15 faculty investigators in just 10 years,” said Carter Wells, vice president for economic development at HudsonAlpha. “It goes to show that Jim Hudson and Lonnie McMillian’s model works, and we’re proud to be a part of the biotech hub in North Alabama.”

(Courtesy Made in Alabama)

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum announced Friday that the officially licensed bobblehead commemorating the 2017 title had arrived. A limited number of individually numbered bobbleheads are available at the museum’s online store.

The figure, featuring Crimson Tide Mascot Big Al on a gridiron base with the national championship logo and a replica of the champions trophy, sells for $35 and a shipping charge of $8.

“This bobblehead is the perfect way for Crimson Tide fans to commemorate the school’s 2017 national championship season,” museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said in a statement. “These will be cherished collectibles that celebrate the tremendous success of this team and the 17th national championship in program history.”

The Crimson Tide blitzed top-seeded Clemson University 24-6 in the Sugar Bowl and then defeated the University of Georgia 26-23 in the national championship game. It was Alabama coach Nick Saban’s fifth national championship in Tuscaloosa and sixth overall.

Organizers announced plans for the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in 2014 and hosted a preview exhibit in 2016. Founders plan a permanent location in Milwaukee this spring. The museum produces customized bobbleheads for organizations and individuals across the country.

FOCO — previously known as Team Beans LLC and Forever Collectibles — manufactures the bobbleheads. It has been a leading manufacturer of sports and entertainment merchandise for 17 years.

FOCO makes products licensed by all major sports leagues, including the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, NASCAR, Major League Soccer and more than 100 colleges and universities. It also has produced goods for entertainment companies like Disney, Warner Bros./DC Comics and Nickelodeon.

@BrendanKKirby is a senior political reporter at LifeZette and author of “Wicked Mobile.”

So the two homebrewers outlined a business plan on the back of a napkin for what would become Druid City Brewing Co., which they opened in November 2012.

“It’s sort of been amazing from what we planned to how it evolved and to what it’s become,” said Hicks, co-owner and brewer at Druid City. “It’s something I’m really proud to have here in Tuscaloosa and to be a part of the community.”

Being part of the community means displaying art from Alabama artists on the wall, playing albums from Alabama musicians and hosting regional live acts regularly at the brewery.

It’s also in their name.

Tuscaloosa got the nickname “The Druid City” because of the large water oaks that once were dominant in downtown. The Druids were ancient Celtic people who worshipped oak trees, hence the connection. The local hospital was named Druid City Hospital (now DCH Regional Medical Center) and before integration, there was Druid City High School.

“When we opened we didn’t want to be, ‘Oh, we’re Tuscaloosa Brewing.’ We wanted to have a little bit of quirk and something that was a little more down home for people that were really familiar with Tuscaloosa,” Hicks said.

Then, there’s the chalkboard.

The chalkboard in the brewery changes frequently to include a temporary art creation that is often a play on an old album cover or a classical piece of art but usually substitutes the main subjects with University of Alabama football figures.

Coaches Paul “Bear” Bryant and Nick Saban stand in for Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon, respectively, on the most recent art work, which mimics the duo’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” album cover.

While the chalkboard may be the focal point of the taproom, the centerpiece of the brewery is the beer.

Druid City Wheat, Druid City Pale Ale, Lamplighter IPA, Riverside Saison and Tuskaloosa Stout are regular offerings. One of the standout beers is the Downtown North Porter, a rich, imperial porter that takes its name from Northport, the city across the Black Warrior River from Tuscaloosa.

“It’s like drinking a black velvet painting of Elvis. It is delicious,” Hicks said. “It’ll bring a tear to a glass eye.”

Druid City also works with area farmers such as Snow’s Bend Farm to take fruits that may not look good enough to sell but can be used to flavor some specialty brews.
Druid City Brewing Co.

The Product: Beers in a variety of classic styles available on tap at multiple outlets.

Take home: A growler of Downtown North Porter (prices vary).

http://www.druidcitybrewing.com/

607 14th St., Tuscaloosa

Follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Brenda Truelove, program manager for corporate engagement at the university’s College of Continuing Education, said the initiative is getting a good response from schools, both in and outside of Alabama.

“The goal is we don’t want anymore parents to realize, ‘My child’s not coming home today’ because somebody missed something,” she said. “Some of the benchmarks and clues were missed.”

Truelove said the school and Firestorm have been developing the program for about five years. She said as far as she knows, it is the only one of its kind in the country. She said schools are eager for help.

“They need resources, and this is a tangible resource,” she said.

Many troubled teenagers who have committed mass shootings have exhibited similar behaviors that might have predicted the outbursts.

Those are easy to see in retrospect. For instance, Nikolas Cruz — accused of the Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida — has lost his parents and gotten in trouble at school. Law enforcement officers had been called to his home 39 times.

Truelove said BERTHA helps schools develop systems to track students’ behavior over time, detect changes and provide help.

“It allows them to say, ‘Johnny had problems in the third grade, and now he’s still having problems in the fifth grade,” she said.

BERTHA aims to train local school officials to identify trouble signs that might be more subtle than the giant flashing lights Cruz presented. Those factors include:

— Student has experienced multiple losses.
— Student has suicidal thoughts.
— Student has made threatening, specific plans.
— Student is laughed at or talked about negatively.
— Student has demonstrated volatile mood swings.
Truelove said the response does not have to be punitive. Signs that a student might be a threat to commit violence often are signals that he or she is suffering. Getting a student appropriate help early may not only help him but prevent a tragedy years down the road, she said.

The university’s partner, Firestorm, bills itself as one of America’s leading crisis and risk management firms. It has been working with schools to prevent mass shootings since after the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre.

“We didn’t get into this to make money but to save lives,” founder and CEO James Satterfield said in a statement provided by the University of Alabama. “What we’re trying to do is get the issue back to where it needs to be. How do you act before there’s an act of violence? BERTHA is ready to address that.”

Truelove said she believes BERTHA should be a part of every school’s toolkit.

“BERTHA is not the answer to every problem,” she said. “But it’s a framework.”

@BrendanKKirby is a senior political reporter at LifeZette and author of “Wicked Mobile.”

Jones explained how recently the FCC had abdicated its role as the Internet’s regulator, which he said made “no sense.”

“The FCC came up with the Internet protections, the Internet regulations, the open Internet rule to try to levelize the playing field,” he said. “Make sure that everyone that had access to the Internet had essentially the same access from all places.”

“This past year, the recent FCC has decided to roll back that,” Jones continued. “They decided to change that and say, ‘We don’t really have this jurisdiction. It needs to be from somewhere else.’ The Federal Communications Commission, which I can’t really understand why – the Federal Communications Commission is saying we do not have the authority or should not have the authority to regulate the Internet because it is not under our jurisdiction. That makes no sense to me.”

According to Alabama’s junior senator, the hope by some is to put the Internet under the purview of either the Federal Trade Commission or the Department of Justice.

“Now, they want to put it over the FTC, the Federal Trade Commission, or the Department of Justice – none of that makes any sense to me,” Jones said. “It may make sense to you. If it does, I would like to hear, seriously.”

Jones argued the Internet was a communications device, and therefore should remain under the jurisdiction of the FCC.

“I’m having a hard time with the FCC deciding how someone else – particularly the Department of Justice,” he added. “I mean, I’ve done two stints with the Department of Justice, one as an assistant U.S. Attorney many years ago, and then as U.S. Attorney about 15 years ago.”

Jones explained how Congress could get involved and by statute put the Internet back under the FCC’s regulatory duties. He cited using the Congressional Review Act of 1996 to override the FCC’s decision.

“It is not used very often, but it gives Congress the opportunity to weigh in,” he said. “Right now there are 50 senators out of the 100 – not quite enough to get us over the hump – that have signed on to the congressional resolution, the Congressional Review Act, the CRA, that would roll back and halt the FCC’s doing away with their own rule that they had in 2015.

“I don’t know where that’s going to go,” he added, noting that it wasn’t something that would require the signature of President Donald Trump to put into motion.

Jones went on to pledge his support for a “free and open” Internet, and warned that without net neutrality big Internet companies would put profits ahead of consumers and perhaps created fast and slow “lanes.”

@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and is the editor of Breitbart TV.

The president attended the championship game in Atlanta, in which Alabama staged a second-half comeback to defeat Georgia, 26-23.

Trump watched the Jan. 8 game from a private box overlooking the Alabama sideline, flanked by ROTC students. The president departed the stadium during halftime as Georgia led Alabama 13-0.

Trump says Alabama’s triumph is “one of the greatest victories ever.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a former Alabama senator, was among those on the South Lawn for team’s visit.

(Associated Press, copyright 2018)

Nobody would have noticed.

Campus life would have moved along as if nothing controversial was happening.

And not a single reporter would have wasted their time writing about something so commonplace as a little-known racist saying racists things somewhere in Alabama.

But we have noticed. Students aren’t ignoring it. And as you clearly see, writers are indeed writing about it.

That’s undeniable progress, and Alabamians should use this moment to pause and recognize the substantial gains our state has made on the issue of racism.

Do we still have problems? You bet.

Have our hearts changed enough? Not yet.

But are we the same state … the same culture … that cheered as our governor stood in the way of a young woman attending class at the University of Alabama? Of course not.

And for that, we can be, and ought to be, quite proud.

You’ve come a long way, ‘Bama.

@jpepperbryars is the editor of Yellowhammer News and the author of American Warfighter

Students cite financial incentives as one of the main reasons for flocking to Alabama. The university awarded more than 200 full-tuition scholarships to freshmen from Illinois last year.

Illinois’ public universities have increased tuition and fees over the past several years to make up for lost state revenue. State data say costs have increased by up to 56 percent at some public universities since 2008.

Almost 46 percent of Illinois high school graduates left the state in 2016, compared to almost 30 percent in 2002.

(Associated Press, copyright 2018)

Many residents and students have long memories of the drastic hits on the community by F-5 tornadoes on April 11, 2011. There’s a strong empathy for the Jacksonville community.

“Remember, we were dealing with the same thing in Tuscaloosa a few years ago,” said Courtney Thomas, director of the Center for Service and Leadership.

The center took donations of air mattresses, cereal, cleaning supplies, dish soap, duct tape, dust pans, jelly, rakes, scrub brushes, laundry detergent, packing tape, peanut butter, plastic bins, ponchos, push brooms and zip ties.

On Saturday, March 31, about 50 University of Alabama students descended on Hugh Merrill Hall at the JSU campus. There, the volunteers painted, set new floor tiles, removed old office furniture and cleaned the building so the dean of the business school and other faculty can move in. Jacksonville State Facility Services employees and others helped spruce up the space.

Bama volunteers will return April 7 to finish cleaning and touch up any areas on the two floors where students will return to classes.

“It’s a good feeling,” Thomas said, “being able to help them. We’ve been there.”
For many JSU students, concerns about tests or selecting an exotic locale for spring break were eclipsed by the EF3 tornado on March 19.

Several international students, some of whom lived off-campus, lost almost everything they owned. But, thanks to efforts by members of the Eastern Division Chapter of the Alabama Service Organization (APSO) and the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce, life will soon be a little easier.

“We want to make things better for these international students with critical needs,” said Varnestra Jones, Eastern APSO 2018 president. “We are just thankful they were on spring break during the storms, it was pretty bad. The fact no one was killed is a real blessing.”

On April 3, Eastern Division Communications Specialist Jacki Lowry and Jones mobilized for a morning Walmart run. Armed with a long supply list from the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce, Jones and Lowry each pulled a shopping cart. They were quickly loaded down with backpacks, deodorant, 11 comforter sets, first-aid kits, pillows, snacks, suitcases, stationary products, 25 toothbrushes and toothpaste, and 16 towel sets.

“We tried to purchase brightly colored towels in peach and teal for the ladies, and gray and blue for the guys,” said Jones, Eastern Division training coordinator. “They’re young – we want to brighten up their day.”

The next day, Jones and Lowry, joined by Kiyunda Smoot, manager of Alabama Power‘s Jacksonville business office, packed the items into an SUV and delivered them for later distribution by the Chamber of Commerce.

Eastern APSO, along with the Jacksonville subchapter, provided 10 Walmart gift cards so students can buy essentials.

Jones said that APSO members realize the storm was especially trying for JSU students without family members in Alabama, who are trying to deal with replacing daily necessities.

“We are glad that we are able to help, but we don’t want our efforts to stop here,” said Jones, who has worked for Alabama Power for 17 years. “We’re looking to make repairs and help paint during a JSU cleanup day.”

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)

Alabama Power Co. is reporting about 15,000 homes and businesses without electricity in areas including Calhoun and Etowah counties.

Significant damage has been reported at Jacksonville State University in Alabama.

Athletic director Greg Seitz said in a tweet Monday evening, “I can confirm we have major roof damage at Pete Mathews Coliseum, but The Pete is not completely destroyed.” He said there was extensive damage in Jacksonville.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham, Alabama, tweeted earlier that there was possibly a large tornado near Jacksonville and Calhoun County that was moving east into northern Cleburne County.

Severe storms have damaged buildings and downed trees in a northern Alabama county.

The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office posted photos on Twitter of houses without roofs and destroyed garages in Ardmore, Alabama, on Monday evening. But it had no reports of injuries from the storms.

The office also tweeted that downed trees and power lines were blocking roads in the county along the Tennessee border.

The National Weather Service in Huntsville, Alabama, issued a severe weather statement at 6:41 p.m. that a confirmed tornado was over Ardmore and moving east.

The University of Alabama planned to suspend normal operations Monday evening because of a severe weather threat.

The school said in a news release that operations would be suspended from 6:30 p.m. until midnight. That means classes and campus activities scheduled during that window are canceled.

University libraries were set to close at 6:30 p.m. and some dining halls were set to close early.

Campus shelters were open to students, faculty and staff at North Campus Storm Shelter, East Campus Storm Shelter and the Magnolia Parking Deck. The Magnolia Parking Deck accepts pets accompanied by their owners.

The university plans to provide updates on Twitter at @UA_Safety.

(Image: Governor Kay Ivey/Flickr)

(Associated Press, copyright 2018)

In Limestone County, an Alabama county on the Tennessee border, the sheriff’s office posted photos online of houses with roofs ripped off and outbuildings torn from their foundations. Several roads were closed because of power lines or trees, the office tweeted. But it had no reports of injuries from the storms.

The athletic director at Jacksonville State University said late Monday there was significant damage to the campus.

“I can confirm we have major roof damage at Pete Mathews Coliseum, but The Pete is not completely destroyed,” Greg Seitz said in a tweet.

Seitz later tweeted that they were still surveying the campus but that there was major roof damage to two halls, adding that his was thankful that JSU was on spring break this week and that most students are out of town.

Portions of northern Alabama and southern Tennessee were still under tornado warnings Monday night, and the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for much of northern Georgia as the line moved eastward.

Forecasters said the storm threat is unusually dangerous because of the possibility of several tornadoes, some of which could be intense. The weather service says hail as large as 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) in diameter could fall, and there’s a possibility of wind gusts to 70 mph (115 kph).

“The potential for strong to violent, long-track tornadoes is a real possibility,” Alabama state meteorologist Jim Stefkovic said at a news conference.

Alabama Emergency Management Executive Operations Officer Jeff Smitherman raised the threat level and increased staffing at Alabama’s emergency management agency. The storms are the first severe weather to threaten the state this year.

School systems from central Tennessee as far south as Birmingham, Alabama, let out early, hoping students and staff would have time to get home before the storms moved through.

The threatened storms come one day before the official start of spring, and are “by far the most impressive setup we’ve seen so far this year,” said Kurt Weber, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Huntsville, Alabama.

“We can’t rule out a strong tornado east of Interstate 65 at this point with all the ingredients coming together,” Weber added. “Hopefully not, but definitely a possibility.”

He said golf ball to tennis ball-sized hail, which can do serious damage to buildings and cars, was possible.

“This is one of those days you want to put the car in the garage if you can,” Weber said.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey urged Alabamians to implement safety plans and get in a safe location.

“We are not taking the situation lightly,” Ivey said. “Severe weather is unpredictable and that is why it is paramount we prepare ahead of time.”

The University of Alabama suspended operations Monday from 6:30 p.m. to midnight, meaning classes and campus activities were cancelled, libraries closed and shelters were opened on campus.

(Associated Press, copyright 2018)