Heads and tales: Crooks, strippers and crooners
By Wade Kwon
Pros and cons: The cost of housing prisoners in Alabama is akin to highway robbery. So says the state department of corrections, which found it cheaper to send prisoners to Louisiana than house them in Alabama’s first private prison. Dammit, first we’re losing them to Louisiana, next we’ll be losing them to Mexico. So Alabama’s newest export is … murderers, rapists and thieves? Ironically, state prison commissioner Richard Allen had little time to start finding homes for convicts — or face the problem head on by ending up in jail, too.
• In-state prison still empty; 600 inmates to go to Louisiana [Birmingham News]
Heading to the poles: Our pal Kathy Kemp explores another issues with metal bars: pole dancing. Workout classes known as Polates (ha!) are attracting women of all ages for a vigorous, um, routine of … well, let’s just let them talk about it. Instructor Erika Grooms says, “Our ladies come from all walks of life, stay-at-home moms, bankers, students. One was a school superintendent. This is fun, it gives you a head-to-toe workout and also boosts a woman’s confidence. It makes you feel sexy.” Great, we can get pole dancing everywhere in town … except actual strip clubs(!).
• Exotic workout [Birmingham News]
Stage beauties: Black and White has its roundup of acts at City Stages 2006, organized in a convenient stage-by-stage breakdown. Run, don’t walk, to your newsstand for your copy. And while you’re out, you have until Sunday to pick up three-day passes at the discounted price of $35, available at select AmSouth (not Regions yet) or Books-A-Million locations. (Also, Ticketma$ter, but watch out for the $ervice charge.)
• City Stages 2006 [Black and White]
Also:
- Election officials prepare for trickles of voters on Tuesday
- Spelling bee champ admits to performance-enhancing aids, like practice, studying
- Citizens flee downtown for gun shops, liquor shacks of suburbia
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