Happy Halloween!
Wednesday, October 31st, 2007
Wow, this is the best season of “Two-a-Days” yet! Except that all of the action has been in the boardroom instead of on the field.
Rush Propst, head football coach at Hoover High and reality TV star, resigned this evening but plans to lead the team through the remainder of the season. The school and system have been rocked by allegations of grade changing for players (which Propst has denied) and violations of state athletic association rules involving ineligible players, leading to forfeits of wins from this season.
Oh, and Propst had an extramarital affair resulting in one child. Guess the secret family is no longer secret.
The board met behind closed doors several times before releasing a report [pdf] detailing its own $151,000 investigation into the machinations at the high school. Propst was cleared of having an affair with a colleague, assistant principal Carol Martin, who resigned earlier this month. The system will pay Propst $141,000 to end his contract early, though he’ll be working for them through Aug. 31.
Parents have been vocal in their support and denunciation of Propst this season, citing his televised verbal abuse of players and win-at-all-costs attitude. During his almost nine seasons, the team won five state championships and earned a 108-15 record.
MTV should’ve opted for a third season, huh? Ding!

• Birmingham News: Rush Propst resigns but will coach through end of season
• • •
More headlines | send us your news tips.
A quick update: We’re leaving in a week, and we’re doing OK on fund-raising and supplies, but …
For those just joining us, a team of 11 Birmingham residents will be traveling to Biloxi and New Orleans for a weeklong volunteer trip in November as part of the Magic City Mission. So far, we’ve raised $950 (half of our goal) and received a fair amount of supplies and gift cards.
We’re especially grateful to Southern Progress Corporation, which generously donated $500 to sponsor the trip.
All of it, cash and goods, will go directly to the nonprofit agencies along the Gulf Coast:
The Wish List is bulging with new needs, including toys and tools for Biloxi. You might have the item we need just lying around your house.
How can you help? Help us donate cash or send supplies before Thursday, Nov. 1!
If you have questions, let me know.
Magic City Mission: Make it your mission to help the Gulf Coast.
Chalk one up for the new Langford administration, one that has yet to be sworn in, cleared of election challenges or legal hurdles. After meeting twice this week with Mayor-Elect Larry Langford, police chief Annetta Nunn will step down to become a technology consultant with the department.
Nunn, who made history as Birmingham’s first female police chief in 2003, oversaw a skyrocketing homicide rate, even as other violent crimes dipped slightly. It’s more than a year since we called for her ouster, after her repeated demonstrations of ineptness at fighting crime. But if that seems like too short a period, just remember that more than 110 murders took place while she remained on the job since then.
The next question: Who will succeed her, and how will that chief get criminals off the streets?
• Birmingham News: Birmingham Police Chief Nunn to step down
• • •
More headlines | send us your news tips.
Some people have gift
for transforming themselves from
normal to knockout.
• • •
Read more haiku.
High standards become
the sucking chest wound when left
untreated, unmet.
• • •
Read more haiku.

We’re just about ready to go.
A dozen volunteers will drive to the Gulf Coast for the next Magic City Mission to help rebuild. These are your friends and neighbors working with Hands on Birmingham to let folks in Biloxi and New Orleans know they haven’t been forgotten.
But we still need your help.
We’re going to raise $2,000 in the next two weeks to go to our partner agencies: Hands on Gulf Coast (Biloxi), St. Bernard Project and Camp Hope (both in New Orleans). Your tax-deductible gifts will help pay for our food, shelter and other program costs during our volunteer week Nov. 4-11.
Every additional dollar will go straight to these programs.
Also, we’re loading our trucks, vans and SUVs with needed supplies for the agencies and the residents. You can help by donating tools, Home Depot gift cards, gas cards and more.
You can donate by check or credit card, or drop off supplies today. Here’s how: