Pat Duggins

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — It appeared Bono and arachnids didn't mix when his "Spider-Man" musical had a rough Broadway run, but that didn't keep a biologist from naming an actual spider species after the U2 singer. Jason Bond of Alabama's Auburn University has identified 33 new species of trapdoor spider, including three of them in the California desert at Joshua Tree National Park.

Fans of the Alabama Crimson Tide lined University Boulevard in Tuscaloosa for a parade to honor the team for its 42-14 victory over Notre Dame in the BCS national football championship. Members of the team walked along the parade route shaking hands with well-wishers and tossing out small souvenir footballs. One of the few players who rode included Jalston Fowler, who injured his knee during the Tide’s game against Western Kentucky in September. Saban was joined by his wife Terry, University of Alabama President Judy Bonner, and Athletic Director Mal Moore before the crowd.

The University of Alabama Crimson Tide and Notre square off for the BCS College Football Championship Monday night at Sun Life Stadium in Miami. Both teams have stories programs, with Knute Rockne and Ara Parseghian for the Fighting Irish, and Alabama with Bear Bryant and Nick Saban. However, both Saban and Notre Dame’s current coach Brian Kelly, point out that it will be a group of college-aged young people who will put on the pads and play before an international spotlight.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A member of Wernher von Braun's rocketry team in Alabama has died. NASA says Jesco von Puttkamer died Thursday after a brief illness. He was 79. Von Puttkamer moved to Huntsville in 1962 and worked with von Braun at the Marshall Space Flight Center. He was an engineer. Von Puttkamer transferred to NASA Headquarters in Washington in 1974. He most recently worked as a technical manager for the International Space Station. Von Puttkamer is survived by his wife, Ursula.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A hospital operated by Jefferson County has announced 200 employees — including the CEO — will be laid off beginning Dec. 31. Officials say Cooper Green Mercy Hospital is downsizing as the facility transitions to an urgent and primary care center. The hospital announced the layoffs in a letter Thursday. Officials say medical clerks, staff nurses, patient care technicians and others will be placed on administrative leave without pay. The hospital currently operates as a general care center and is ending inpatient and emergency room services.

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Authorities say fierce thunderstorms knocked out power to 18,000 customers across Alabama and peeled the roofs from buildings in the Mobile area. Alabama Power spokeswoman Keisa Sharpe-Johnson says the outages were spread across the state, with about 8,600 in the hard-hit Mobile area. About 7,900 outages were in the western part of the state, which included Tuscaloosa, Jasper and Haleyville.

Editor's Note: APR news will be tweeting updates of the Iron Bowl from Bryant Denny Stadium.

University of Alabama President Guy Bailey today announced that he will be leaving his post at the school, citing family reasons. Dr. Bailey asssumed leadership of the University of Alabama in early September, after the U of A Board of Trustees approved his hiring unanimously back in July. University of Alabama President Guy Bailey’s statement: Today I have notified Chancellor Witt that I am stepping down as President of The University of Alabama.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A study show that 44 percent of Alabama's college graduating class of 2011 finished with debt and the average amount was more than $25,000. Al.com reports the Alabama figure was below the national average of $26,600. The study by the Project on Student Debt found that the most indebted Alabama students graduated from Alabama A&M. Ninety-five percent of the Class of 2011 had debt, and the average was slightly more than $33,000. At Auburn University, 47 percent of the graduates had debt, and the average was nearly $24,800.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A new program of the National Governors Association aimed at stopping prescription drug abuse is meeting in Montgomery. Gov. Robert Bentley is co-chairman of the NGA's Prescription Drug Abuse Reduction Policy Academy, and he will address its opening session Monday in Montgomery. The academy is spending a year looking at how to reduce prescription drug abuse in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, New Mexico, Oregon and Virginia.

The new president of the University of Alabama is settling in. Dr. Guy Bailey officially took over as leader of the Tuscaloosa campus. Bigger enrollment and more research are just two of his goals. Dr. Bailey says the University’s engineering and science departments may soon be the focus of greater research. The new president adds that the liberal arts could shine as well… “We’ve always had a great creative writing program here." says Bailey. "The English program is good…after all, it produced me!

The executive board of Alabama Public Television voted unanimously to hire WVUA-TV General Manager Roy Clem as its new executive director. The selection follows the controversial firing of former APT Chief Allan Pizzato and one of his lieutenants. The oustre is reportedly due to disagreement between Pizzato and members of the APT board on the airing of conservative christian programming. Mr. Pizzato is suing the board on the grounds that his firing was in violation of state law.

The Alabama Public Radio news team collected a national Sigma Delta Chi award at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. for best breaking news coverage of the Tuscaloosa tornado. News Director Pat Duggins was joined at the podium by reporters Ryan Vasquez, Maggie Martin and Stan Ingold for the presentation of the bronze medallion.