Interim Chief Addresses Presence of Public Safety
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THE SAMFORD PUBLISHED CRIMSON SINCE 1915 News Sports Arts & Life The Samford Crimson Did you get your fu Samford falls to A year as Miss Samford Volume 105, Issue 8 vaccine? P.3 Mercer in 3OT P.4 P.6 November 7, 2019 Developments Interim chief addresses coming along presence of public safety Lakeshore By Daniel Dodson Editor-in-Chief Several businesses have been un- der construction in the Wildwood area of Birmingham along Lake- shore Parkway. Among these include a movie theater, fast-food restaurant and an apartment complex. Birmingham Premiere Lux Cine’ & Pizza Pub Birmingham Premiere Lux Cine’ & Pizza Pub is a movie theatre that recently opened on the site of the old Carmike Cinema, and more recently Point of Grace Ministries. The the- ater boasts luxury reserved seating and in-seat dining. The seats will also be equipped with D-BOX simu- lation, a feature that moves viewers along with the movie to make them feel part of the movie. Construc- tion started in 2018 after the Bir- Samford Public Safety patrols campus 24/7. Photo courtesy of Mackenzee Simms mingham City Council appropriated By Mackenzee Simms police department operates inde- your car, or we do a report on if your $400,000 to improve access to the Contributing Writer pendently. car is broken into. Everything from building site. “The city of Homewood has their A to Z, Just like any other police “We would essentially gut the in- ----Despite the Department of Public police department and we’re sur- department.” terior and start it over, use the bones Safety’s constant presence on cam- rounded by them and Samford has In addition, Samford has police pa- of the structure and put a whole new pus, many students remain unfa- their own police department,” Leigh trolling the campus 24/7. There are façade on the front. We need to thin miliar with the police department at said. “So you kind of have double two ofcers at a minimum on-duty Samford. out some trees that block the visi- security is the way I look at it.” on Samford’s campus at all times. According to Samford interim bility. This will have a totally difer- The police at Samford have all the One works at the gate and one pa- Police Chief Scott Leigh, Samford’s ent feel than anything else you have responsibility and authority that a trols the campus in a police vehicle, public safety department operates around here,”Gary Moore, president larger department would, as well as but the number of ofcers can be up as a full service police department. and CEO of Premiere Cinemas told providing services that go beyond the to 4 or 5 depending on the day. All of the police ofcers are certifed the Budget and Finance Committee typical duties of the police such as Leigh cites the constant police as Alabama Peace Ofcers, and most when he shared his plans for the pro- jump starting student’s cars. presence on campus as a large deter- have over 25 years of experience posed development according to the ”We do everything from investi- rent to crime and a great asset of the working for the police departments Birmingham City Council. gations on any crimes that occur on university. of Homewood, Hover, Birmingham Cook Out campus to working trafc accidents. “You have to put yourself into the and Jeferson County. Although the Located in the same block, fast- We assist the community, students, mind of a criminal, or somebody who school’s campus is within the juris- food restaurant Cook Out, is hoping faculty and anyone on campus,” is thinking about breaking the law,” diction of Homewood, Samford’s Leigh said. “We might jump start Continued on Page 2 Continued on Page 2 Jef Sessions may be considering run for Senate By Olivia Matherne Democrat Senator Doug Jones. The Contributing Writer well-rounded group of Republicans vying for the same spot include Ala- Rumors swirl among Alabama po- bama Secretary of State John Merrill, litical circles as multiple “sources fa- Rep. Bradley Byrne, former Auburn miliar with the matter” claim that Jef University football coach Tommy Sessions, the Republican former U.S. Tuberville, state Rep. Arnold Mooney attorney general is considering enter- and former Alabama Supreme Court ing the already controversial Senate Chief Justice Roy Moore. race. According to an initial report Sessions is currently available to from political news outlet Politico, run a campaign for such an ofce af- and supported by subsequent stories ter President Donald Trump sent him from CNN, The Hill, and Vanity Fair, out of the White House with a slap Sessions is “strongly considering bid on the wrist and a blast on Twitter. for old Senate seat in Alabama”. In the earlier days of his time in the Sessions would enter into an Oval, President Trump began his un- already crowded competition to be matched turnover trend with feeting named the Alabama Republican Sen- cabinet ofcials by asking his frst ate nominee in an attempt to replace Continued on Page 3 Sessions is considering running for Senate in Alabama. Courtesy of Creative Commons 2 |November 7, 2019 | The Samford Crimson www.thesamfordcrimson.com The Samford Crimson 800 Lakeshore Drive Developments at Wildwood Birmingham, Alabama 35229 [email protected] www.thesamfordcrimson.com @TheSamfordCrimson Staff Editor-In-Chief Daniel Dodson Managing Editor William Marlow Sports Editor Gunnar Sadowey Arts & Life Editor Katy Beth Boyers Designer AnnaBelle Brown Staf Writers Selah Vetter Moriah Mason Carson Caulfeld Collin Reese Thomas Cleveland Interim Adviser Will Heath [email protected] Business Manager Karen Ryan [email protected] Te Samford Crimson is the weekly student-run newspaper at Samford University provided for free to students and faculty. Submissions are accepted via mail or email and must be made one week prior to A map of the new businesses that will be opening in the Wildwood area of Birmingham. Daniel Dodson/The Samford Crimson print date. Submissions may be editited for clairty Continued from page 1 and brevity. Te Samford Crimson has the right to refuse to print a submission for any reason. to open their frst location in Bir- cording to reporting by the BBJ. mingham on Nov. 15 according to New Apartment Complex Copyright © 2019 The Samford Crimson the Birmingham Business Journal. Dobbins Group LLC is developing The chain is known for their burgers, a $46.2 milion apartment complex Follow Us milkshakes and barbecue. Birming- across from Cook Out. The complex ham Mayor Randall Woodfn was a will have 280 Class A units with fb.com/Samford.Crimson strong supporter of the chain coming each unit featuring granite count- to Birmingham. ers, 9-foot ceilings, soaking tubs and @SamfordCrimson “If CookOut comes to Birming- walk-in closets. The apartments are ham, the White House won’t be the expected to range from $1,250 to @TheSamfordCrimson only government building serving $2,000 a month. The development fast food,” Woodfn said in a tweet will have community amenities such earlier this year. as a saltwater pool, yoga and spin The chain is also expected to open building, ftness center building, car- another location downtown after care center, fre pit, outdoor enter- purchasing property in Southside ac- taining areas, and a pet park and spa. Creative Commons Only Samford Police set the record straight the Continued from page 1 Leigh said. “You see a police ofcer, facts you’re probably not going to do it right. So yes, it’s a huge deterrent, and it makes the place that much The Samford Crimson safer.” Because there is at least one has provided fact-based ofcer constantly patrolling campus, reporting for the Samford the police can respond to a distress call within a matter of minutes. Any community since 1915. student that feels unsafe traversing campus for any reason can request a In print weekly. safety escort to accompany them to their destination safely. “If anybody feels unsafe or maybe Online at a little scared, maybe it’s late at night and they’re walking to and thesamfordcrimson.com from a location, all they have to do is call us,” Leigh said. “We’ll send Stay informed. an ofcer over there and pick them up and give them a ride to wherever Read the Crimson. they’re going. That’s not a problem at all.” In an efort to educate students about their safety, Leigh and the Samford Department of Public Safe- ty are trying to start a class called “Situational Awareness” which would talk more about crime on Thomas Cleveland/The Samford Crimson and of campus, what to do and not cers’ experience of actually dealing emergency.” do in emergencies, places to avoid with the public for years and years Leigh encourages any student of-campus and how to report any and years. We know what’s going on that has questions about the police crimes. The purpose of the class isn’t out there.” department or safety on campus to scare anyone or inspire paranoia. “We want to teach what we taught to visit the Department of Public “I just want (students) to have that our own kids,” Leigh said. “We’re Safety. thought in the back of their mind. Be just trying to pass the word, so “I always tell people: If you’re vigilant,” Leigh said. “You need to they’ll have a tool in the back of their unsure, or a little nervous, or intim- know what’s going on around you to mind, so that if something happens idated, you can come by our ofce, be safe. And that’s just coming from then they’ll know how to react and and sit down and talk with us,” my experience, and the police of- they’ll know what to do in case of Leigh said.