Arts & Life

“Obviously, we wish the night could have ended in a different way” said Notre Dame star player Manti T’eo. “But, the season, the year, my career here, I’m been truly blessed by being at Notre Dame” “What the players accomplished, what the coaches accomplished, I think it’s really special,” said Alabama Coach Nick Saban. “I think when I’m sitting on the side of the hill watching the stream go by, I might even figure it out even more.” These are two very different perspectives of the same game in Miami.

Alabama's second annual Severe Weather Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday will be the weekend of Feb. 22-24.

The state Revenue Department says the state will waive its 4 percent sales tax on items used to prepare homes and businesses for hurricanes and tornadoes. Some cities and counties will do the same.

A Lee County judge handling the Toomer's Oaks poisoning case will consider a request from prosecutors Wednesday to revoke the bond for 64-year-old Harvey Updyke.

The Opelika-Auburn News(http://bit.ly/UPLpoC ) reports that the district attorney's office based its request on Updyke being arrested in Hammond, La., where he was accused of threatening an employee at a home improvement store.

“Alabama Football Tales: More Than a Century of Crimson Tide Glory”

Author: Lewis Bowling

Publisher: The History Press

Pages: 128

Price: $16.99 (paper)

Since the University of Alabama had the most revered football coach ever in Paul “Bear” Bryant, often has the best football team in the country and is supported by millions of devoted fans and alums, it is no surprise that there is a huge demand for books about the Crimson Tide. Sports writers are well aware of this demand and do their best to meet it.

Football fans attending the national championship game Monday night between Alabama and Notre Dame will get to see a public service announcement filmed by University of Alabama students to combat binge drinking.

Students in Alabama's advertising and public relations department created the 60-second PSA directed by Shaquille O'Neal. O'Neal agreed to participate after students generated a Twitter campaign to get him involved. The university announced the PSA will air in Miami Sun Life Stadium during the first quarter of the game.

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.

Christmas wreaths and holiday parties are giving way to king cakes and street parades as the Carnival season kicks off this weekend along the Gulf Coast.

In New Orleans, the noisy and colorful streetcar ride of the Phunny Phorty Phellows troupe will mark the first street appearance of the Carnival season. The costumed revelers will board a St. Charles Avenue streetcar on Sunday. That day is Twelfth Night, the traditional start of the Carnival season. For many Christians, it also marks the end of the Christmas season.

Parade, pets - who could resist?  The Beverly Hills Pet Care Foundation is hoping everyone takes notice and gets the message to adopt a homeless pet, and to have all pets spayed or neutered!

**********************************

The American Red Cross has announced it plans to close its casework service center at the Dauphin Way United Methodist Church, but plans to continue helping residents affected by the Christmas tornado in a new location.

Red Cross officials Friday said the service center on Dauphin Way would close at 4 p.m. and caseworkers will meet clients daily at the Red Cross office on North Sage Avenue near Ishee Street in Mobile from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning Monday.

Federal Aviation Administration records show that a plane that crashed in Jasper killing three people wasn't currently registered to fly.

FAA records show HiFlight Aviation of Jasper bought the plane in May 2010. The company applied for registration, but the application was returned to HiFlight in June 2010 for correction. The FAA received no response and canceled the registration.

State business records show that HiFlight was organized in Jasper in 2010. A phone number given by the company at the time of registration is no longer active.