Posts Tagged ‘Mobile’

Checkers Reopens In Mobile Alabama Saturday; Free Fries For a Year Giveaway

Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 by South Alabama Community Website

Checkers LogoIf you’ve driven down east Airport Boulevard in Mobile within the past few weeks, you’ve probably noticed something great. Checkers is coming back with a brand new look. And coming back is great because they have some of the best burgers and fries around. Not only that, but they’re going to be giving away to the first 100 people who attend the launch on Saturday Free Checkers Fries for a year!

According to their website, Checkers was first started in Mobile back in 1986 and has been cooking up great burgers ever since. The Checker’s story, which some of you may know from outside of the area as Rally’s goes like this:

“Checkers & Rally’s restaurants were born out of the idea that a bland and flavorless burger was downright bad and that Americans everywhere deserved a better tasting burger — one that was unexpectedly bold, made-to-order and priced at a value that was hard to beat. Founded by experienced foodies with a renegade spirit, both the Checkers & Rally’s unique double drive-thru concept, with its over-the-top checkerboard squares, chrome styling, red neon signs and of course the food, was an instant hit. These two new burger experiences were hot, fresh and served with a smile. People were hooked, and the world of cookie cutter corporate burger establishments was about to change.”

And here’s the official release about the re-opening:

Checkers French FriesThe new reimaged Checkers restaurant at 2213 Airport Blvd in Mobile, AL will host a Grand Opening celebration for the hungry public on Saturday, November 12, 2011.

To kick off the grand opening on Saturday, November 12, Checkers is offering FREE fries for a year to the first 100 guests in line. And, guests in line, 101 and after will receive FREE fries with purchase all weekend. So, be sure to be one of the first people in line, as we anticipate people camping out!

During the grand opening celebration, there will be a kickoff to food eating contests open to the public with a competition showdown at 11am between the University of South Alabama’s STATS (Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow) student organization versus the University of Mobile’ SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) student organization.

Checkers will also give away prizes, coupons, and promotions to reward the community and its loyal fans.

Hoping to see you all there!

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Posted in Events, Food, Mobile County, Press Release | No Comments »

Third Annual 2011 South Alabama Film Festival Information

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011 by South Alabama Community Website

2011 South Alabama Film FestivalThe 3rd annual South Alabama Film Festival seeks to showcase and educate the community about filmmakers and their creations, while welcoming all who enjoy the medium. One of the nation’s oldest and most beautiful cities, Mobile will alight with the cinematic arts throughout the year, culminating in November’s three-day festival.

In addition to feature-length and short films, the festival will offer seminars and workshops for adults and school children, to further its goal of educating – as well as enchanting – the growing regional film community. In its third year, and for many more to come, the festival strives to be the yearly event in Southern Alabama for all who love, and create, film.

The festival takes place November 4th, 5th, and 6th at multiple venues throughout Mobile, AL.

Passes for the festival are available now and at the downtown office. Weekend passes will be $30 and individual film tickets will be $5. Click here for tickets.

The South Alabama Film Festival is a part of the Mobile Arts Council made possible by the generous support of the Mobile Public Library, The Crescent Theater, The Center for the Living Arts, The Bike Shop, The Fort Conde Inn, The Hampton Downtown.

FEATURE LENGTH FILMS
Wrestling For JesusWrestling For Jesus (documentary)
Sat, Nov 5
3pm
The Crescent Theater

A documentary about Timothy who was born in Mobile, AL and grew up a wrestling fanatic. After moving to South Carolina, Timothy started a Christian wrestling organization. His goal is to use wrestling to evangelize his neighbors. However his passion and vision for his ministry are tested when his personal life begins to disintegrate. Wrestling for Jesus is a raw and honest all-access pass into the two worlds of independent wrestling and religion in the rural South.

- Timothy (T-Money) is originally from Mobile
- Timothy is scheduled to attend

http://www.facebook.com/wrestlingforjesus
http://wrestlingforjesus.com

Missing Pieces (special preview screening) (narrative)
Missing PiecesSat, Nov 5
5pm
The Crescent Theater

This is a story about a man who’s lost everything and his misguided attempts to put it back together. Missing Pieces is an emotional enigma about love and loneliness…and a kidnapping. Through interwoven, poignant vignettes, this multi-plot tale unfolds and untangles into a truly unique and heartfelt love story about finding hope when all is lost.

- Kenton Bartlett (writer/producer) is from Birmingham
- Started the film when he was 19; he’s now 23
- Filmmaker is scheduled to attend
- Along with film Q&A, Kenton will also be participating in a workshop/Q&A session with the kids camp students

http://www.facebook.com/FindYourMissingPieces
http://www.findyourmissingpieces.com

Prairie Love (narrative)
Prairie Love PosterSat, Nov 5
9pm
The Crescent Theater

When a mysterious vagrant living out of his car among the snowy plains discovers a nearly-frozen local with a pen-pal girlfriend, he sees an opportunity to change his lonely existence. From the harsh Midwestern frozen plains, comes this wonderfully bizarre but heartwarming look at three people searching for love and self discovery in the oddest ways.

- This will be the first screening in South Alabama
- Ashley Bias & Dusty Bias (from Baldwin County)
- Filmmaker scheduled to attend
- Official Selection: 2011 Sundance Film Festival
- Grand Jury Prize, Best Narrative Feature: 2011 Oxford Film Festival

http://www.facebook.com/prairielove
http://www.prairielove.com
http://www.prairielove.com/press/mr.pdf

Man of Deeds (documentary)
Sun, Nov 6
1pm
Bernhiem Hall

Born into the chaos of the French Revolution, Mathias Loras would come to develop a vision for a state of spirituality in the New World that few dare dream. Brought up in an elegant, bourgeois family he would eventually become a missionary assigned to a remote outpost in the frontier territory of Iowa. There he would sow the seeds of the church to rough miners and farmers, while battling the unending hardships of life on edge of civilization.

- Filmmaker Craig Schafer is scheduled to attend
- From 1830-1832 Mathias Loras served as the first president of Spring Hill College

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathias_Loras

The Reconstruction of Asa Carter (documentary)
The Reconstruction of Asa CarterSun, Nov 6
4pm
Bernhiem Hall

Forrest Carter, best-selling author of The Outlaw Josey Wales and The Education of Little Tree, was an exalted Cherokee hero of New Age wisdom. As a leader in the Native American cultural revival of the 1970’s, Forrest touched millions of readers with his gentle and earthy tales of Indian life. Twelve years after his death, however, the public learned that Forrest had a hidden past. Forrest Carter was actually Asa ‘Ace’ Cater, violent Ku Klux Klansman and Alabama Governor George Wallace’s principal speechwriter; author of the infamous 1963 inaugural address, ‘Segregation Now! Segregation Tomorrow! Segregation Forever!’

- Filmmaker Douglas Newman scheduled to attend

http://www.facebook.com/reconstructionofasacarter
http://www.reconstructionofasacarter.com

FESTIVAL VENUES
Ben May Main Library, Bernheim Hall
The Crescent Theater
Space 301
Cathedral Square

More films are scheduled to show. Check the South Alabama Film Festival Website and find out more:

http://www.southalabamafilmfestival.org

Follow the South Alabama Film Festival on Twitter at:

http://twitter.com/SoALFilmFest

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Posted in Events, Mobile County, Press Release | No Comments »

How South Alabama Can Help West Alabama

Friday, April 29th, 2011 by South Alabama Community Website

We’ve been pretty active on both Facebook and Twitter gathering information and finding out how people can get involved in helping those affected by recent storms in Tuscaloosa, Cullman, Jacksonville and other cities throughout west Alabama. The damage is remarkable. President Obama, Governor Bentley, and Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have taken action to see that the towns, schools, businesses and people affected are getting the assistance they need. You’re probably asking by now, “How can I help out the victims of the tornadoes in west Alabama?”, and we’re here to share with you a list of businesses and places you can help to pass along in your own city from dropping off non-perishable goods to giving blood.

Where to help in Baldwin County:

The City of Fairhope is collecting items for Tuscaloosa and northern Alabama at the James P. Nix Center. The items will be transported by “We Care Baldwin County” lead by local residents Bobby and Lori Clark.

Camping World in Robertsdale is collecting donations. Items will ship north on Tuesday.

Mommy & Me Marketplace – If you’d like to contribute clothing or non-perishable food items, you can drop them off Friday and Saturday from 7AM to 7PM, call 747-3890.

The Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama will be collecting toiletry and baby items with neighborhood drives. If a girl scout is not in your area you can drop them off at Headquarters preschool at 925 Nichols Ext. in Fairhope, AL or call Becky at 610-0855.

Tacky Jacks announced on here they have a trailer in Orange Beach and Spanish Fort to fill with donation supplies to send to Tuscaloosa. Grande Pointe in Daphne will also be a drop-off point before 3PM today to get items to Tacky Jacks.

RE/MAX of Gulf Shores, the Alabama Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, and Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism Welcome Center in Gulf Shores have been declared a “drop point” for relief items for the victims. RE/MAX will be loading their moving truck with items and driving it to Tuscaloosa on Monday.

Items requested include:

  • New clothing
  • New blankets/linens
  • Toiletries
  • New toys
  • Pet supplies
  • Water
  • Cleaning supplies / bleach
  • Non perishable food items
  • New baby supplies

Freckles in Semmes on Hwy 98 across from Regions Bank and right beside Semmes Tanning is taking donations.

Lucky Break Pool Hall in Foley is accepting donations.

Fairhope United Methodist Church & PostNet in Fairhope are both collecting non-perishable items that will be sent up.

In Mobile County:

92ZEW is accepting donations, non-perishables and batteries today at 1100 Dauphin St at the corner of Dauphin & Hallet.

97.5 WABB is taking donations all day at the station today for tornado victims. Located at 1551 Springhill Ave, Mobile.

LifeSouth also has donor centers on Alabama’s Gulf Coast: in Mobile at 967 Hillcrest Road; in Daphne at 6451 Merritt Blvd.; and in Fairhope at Thomas Medical Center, 750 Morphy Ave. Call toll-free (888) 795-2707 for more information and hours of operation.

National Relief Efforts:

The Salvation Army: Call 1-800-SAL-ARMY and designate “April 2011 Tornado Outbreak.”

Red Cross info: To make a donation, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Here is a list, thanks to Grande Pointe, of non-perishable items to grab and drop off.

  • Baby formula
  • Bandaids and other first aid products
  • Blankets
  • Clothing in all sizes
  • Conditioner
  • Deodorant
  • Diapers
  • Dishwashing soap
  • Feminine products
  • Can Food
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Individual juices
  • Kleenex
  • Laundry detergent
  • Shampoo
  • Shoes in all sizes
  • Small toys for displaced children
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Toothbrushes
  • Toothpaste
  • Ziploc bags

If you have any more information that you’d like to share to help out the victims of the tornado crisis in Alabama, please e-mail us at webmaster@southal.net.

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Posted in Community Involvement, Press Release, Tornadoes, Weather | No Comments »

Giardini search warrant unsealed | Fox10tv.com

Saturday, August 21st, 2010 by South Alabama Community Website

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Court documents unsealed claim that former Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Steve Giardini carried on a three-month long on-line relationship with an undercover FBI agent, posing as a 15 year old girl.

In the ” Application and Affidavit for Search Warrant”, it states that,  “On December 14, 2008, the Affiant [FBI agent Arthur Roche] was working online in an undercover capacity in the Yahoo Messenger Chat Room ‘Alabama 2′. The Affiant was posing as a 15 year old female named Diana Gautier (hereafter referred to as Diana) from Daphne, Alabama. Diana was approached by a Yahoo user with the screen name ‘gulf_guy64′. Diana told the user that she was a 15 year old female from Daphne, Alabama. After being added to Diana’s Yahoo Messenger Friend List the user’s screen name changed from ‘gulf_guy64′ to ’steven’. ’steven’ advised Diana that he was from Mobile and sent a picture of himself to her online. ’steven’ told Diana to ‘call me sometime’ and provided a phone number.”

The FBI agent “compared the picture that ’steven’ had sent to Diana and the drivers license photo of S. G., and they show the same person.”

According to court documents, “Diana told ’steven’ that she was an only child and lived with her mother. Throughout the communications Diana and ’steven’ talk about being careful not to get caught by her mother and not telling anyone about their relationship.”

“In the online and telephone communications ’steven’ asked Diana if she had become serious enough with anyone in dating to have sex. ’steven’ told Diana in the conversations online and on the telephone that he has a swimming pool and a hot tub, and that she is welcome to come to his house and use them. ’steven’ told Diana that they would have to behave themselves when they meet in person…’steven’ told Diana that he wants to kiss her.”  The documents go on to describe a number of sex acts.

“Throughout the communications ’steven’ stated that he is at his home when they are communicating online, and mentioned that he is online in the evenings and at lunch, because he goes home from work to eat lunch. He described his home to Diana as having a pool and a hot tub. The communications usually take place in early evening or late at night. The communications on April first and April second took place between the following times:
April first from 4:50PM to approximately 10:45PM, April second from 8:43PM to approximately 10:50PM.”

Giardini resigned from the Mobile County District Attorney’s office shortly after FBI agents raided his home and seized a number of electronic devices.  Giardini had been assigned to the Child Advocacy Center, which helps young people who have been victims of sex crimes and other forms of abuse.

Giardini search warrant unsealed | Fox10tv.com.

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Bradley Byrne Returns Home – Mobile Alabama

Saturday, August 21st, 2010 by South Alabama Community Website

MOBILE, Alabama – Bradley Byrne says he has joined a regional law firm that has significant offices in Mobile and Birmingham. He says this firm will allow him to remain active in the state’s economic development efforts and in politics. He says he will vote for his former republican opponent, Dr. Robert Bentley but he will not be involved in actively campaigning for him. Byrne says that’s because Dr. Bentley has made it clear he does not want him involved in his campaign Byrne says he will continue to stay active in politics. He feels he still has a lot to offer and he’s received lots of encouragement from supporters.

Byrne says he wants to be involved in seeking out new leaders to follow in the footsteps of Governor Bob Riley. He says Riley has been an outstanding governor who has led a scandal-free administration over the last 8 years. Byrne says he will not rule out another possible run for governor. He says we’ll have to just wait and see. You can hear more of his comments in the accompanying report on this page.

Via: Bradley Byrne Returns Home – Mobile Alabama.

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Committee meets over panhandling issue | Fox10tv.com

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 by South Alabama Community Website

MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) – Many downtown Mobile businesses have been complaining about panhandlers in downtown Mobile. Tuesday, a new ordinance was presented at the city’s council safety meeting.

In attendance for Tuesday’s meeting was Mobile Police Chief Tyrone Williams, Council President Reggie Copeland, organizations that aid the homeless, and more.

“I don’t see any issues with the proposed ordinance. What we would like is for everyone to be treated equally. We want our citizens and tourist to be able to walk around without being accosted,” said Mobile Police Chief Tyrone Williams.

The man in charge of the “panhandling cleanup”, Councilman Fred Richardson says the meeting was a success.

“We had no major opposition to what we’re trying to do. We had people here representing a broad spectrum of people including the homeless. I think we are all in agreement something must be done,” Richardson said.

The ordinance would prohibit the asking for money or other things of value in the downtown area. The ordinance makes soliciting illegal in downtown Mobile unless you have a permit.

Another question brought up was concerning the punishment for those arrested for panhandling. Judge Holmes Whidden will be the judge hearing most of these cases. He too was in attendance and said there are a few ideas on the table.

“Possible sentencing alternatives other than jail, some want to put them back out in the community for instance to pick up trash and debris and give back to the community,” Whidden said.

Whidden said they will also be discussing the appropriate amount for bond and fines.

Councilman Richardson said another meeting will be held on September 14. Richardson said he believes the ordinance will be ready to be presented and voted on by the City Council by the end of September.

Committee meets over panhandling issue | Fox10tv.com.

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