Wade on Birmingham

Heads and tales: Mind yourself

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stethoscopeCrazy in Alabama: Despite a 33-year-old lawsuit settled in 2003, the state hasn’t taken care of its mentally ill patients. Demand on the four state hospitals has jumped 39 percent in five years, while public and private resources have shrunk. Can the state make good on its promise to look after those in need, without federal oversight? Are you nuts?
• No room for mentally ill [Birmingham News]

Ham it down: Tuscaloosa gave up on its downtown music festival, CityFest, in 2005. Now, even the barbecue contest used to carry on the tradition is gone, killing any immediate hopes of reviving the music event. What, they couldn’t find an incongruent title sponsor? Meanwhile, Alabaster’s fourth CityFest (no relation) has landed headliners Joe Nichols (whose country hits include “Brokenheartsville” and “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off”) and … Foghat. So for those scoring at home (and those of you alone), that’s Alabaster: Foghat; Tuscaloosa: can’t sell barbecue to Southerners.
• CityFest barbecue contest gives up the ghost [Tuscaloosa News]

Mizzou much: UAB men’s basketball coach Mike Anderson is taking his ball and going to the University of Missouri. His salary is doubling to $1.3 million, after a successful 24-7 season and first-round tournament appearance. The UAB interim athletics director wants the new coach to also push the up-tempo style Anderson implemented. Maybe UAB could start a football program, too. Wait, it has one? Really?!
• UAB basketball coach takes national title quest to Big 12 [Birmingham News]

Also:

  • School fund-raiser marred by exposed payoff scheme to ‘seed pushers’
  • Vestavia Hills theater manager keeps projectors, ticket kiosks in pristine, barely functioning condition
  • 48-year-old goth still refuses to ‘not look so depressed’

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