Alabama Community College Conference

CHURCH CALENDAR: July 30

Bethel Presbyterian Church: Watermelon Road, a Gaither-style singing at 6:30 p.m. Call 205-361-0916 or 205-758-6063.

Hargrove Road Baptist Church: 3004 Hargrove Road E., drive-through prayer 8-10 a.m. Held rain or shine. We will pray with people who drive up and ask for prayer. 205-553-1100.

New Antioch Bethlehem District Association: program of the ministers and deacon’s union at 10:30 a.m. at Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church, 2650 Elizabeth St. Theme is “Solidarity with the Savior.” Call 205-758-9560.

On Eagles Wings Church and Ministries: 7115 McFarland Blvd., Northport, new church will have services at 7 p.m. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Friday. Pastor is Sandra Townsend. Located behind 84 Lumber, previously Trinity Christian Center. Call 205-310-9271.

On Our Knees in Tuscaloosa: Praising, prayer and preaching at 6:30 p.m. at Unity Baptist Church.

Pruitt Spring Missionary Baptist Church: Moundville, love program for brother Arthur Bishop at 5 p.m. The Rev. Ferrell Caddell is the pastor and Sister Cleretha Ryans is the Mistress of Order. All groups, soloists and choirs are invited and asked for an A&B selection.

Songs of Faith homecoming: 7 p.m. at First Free Will Baptist Church of Reform, Highway 17 South between Reform and Carrollton. Special guest Archie Watkins, the tenor for the Inspirations for 45 years, also the Gordo Methodist Men’s choir. There is no admission charge but love offering will be taken. Call 205-399-0420.

Tabernacle 183rd Camp meeting: about four miles from the Mississippi state line, 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Ministers will be the Rev. Printess Gordon of First United Methodist Church in Corinth, Miss.; the Rev. Keith Tonkel of Will’s Memorial United Methodist Church, Jackson, Miss. The Rev. David Prevost of Brandon Baptist Church in Brandon, Miss., will lead the singing. Call 205-454-6336.

Yellow Creek Baptist Church: take Highway 69 North for 13 miles, turn right onto Yellow Creek Road, about five miles and the church is on the left. Ryan Seaton, former lead singer for Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, will be in concert at 6 p.m. Free admission, but a love offering will be taken. Call 205-210-3676.

2011 Women’s Conference: 8:45 a.m.-1 p.m. at Christian Community Church, 5600 18th Ave. Gwendolyn Sutton and Janice Barnett are co-chairs of the conference. Keynote speaker will be Apostle Lydia Smith of Memphis, Tenn. In 1999, she founded Iron Pillar Ministries, Inc., in 2002 she founded Iron Pillar Ministry Bible Training Institute. She is Overseer of 114 Churches in East Africa. Refreshments will be served and door prizes awarded. Free. Call 205-345-6990 or 205-345-7826.

Alabama community colleges cut sports due to budget woes | al.com

Wayne Carrell wanted to play Division I baseball when he graduated from Hueytown High School, but he didn't quite have the grades or the funds for a four-year school.

So Carrell went to Jefferson State Community College, where he got a full scholarship, the chance to work on his grades and plenty of playing time. But then Jeff State announced plans to eliminate its athletic programs at the end of this school year, leaving him looking for other options.

Around the state, community college administrators have started eliminating athletics programs, saying shrinking resources are forcing them to choose between paying for classrooms or playing fields. But athletes and sports fans say the demise of such programs, many of which have been around for decades, will leave a hole in their campuses and their communities.

Four Alabama community colleges have cut all or some athletics this year, including Gadsden State Community College, which announced its plans Tuesday. There may be more to come, said Al Cox, commissioner of the Alabama Community College Conference, which represents 10 sports at 21 schools.

"We think athletics is an important part of any college environment," Cox said. "It creates a lot of esprit de corps on campus. And in many of our smaller communities where we have our colleges, that's the hot ticket in town to go to the juco baseball or basketball game."

Money woes

Jefferson State was the first to make cuts this year, announcing in January that it would eliminate its softball team and its baseball team, which was founded in 1967. In mid-March, Bevill State said it was discontinuing all four of its remaining athletic programs (it dropped volleyball two years ago) at the end of this school year to save about $400,000.

Days later, Northwest-Shoals Community College, which claims to be the first public two-year college in the state to have athletics, announced it would cease all six of its athletic teams as of fall 2011. And just last week, Gadsden State said that, after studying the issue for two years, it would cancel cross country, tennis, softball and baseball -- leaving volleyball, basketball and intramural sports intact -- in 2012.

The Blue book of college athletics for senior, junior & community colleges

The Blue book of college, university and junior & community college athletics

Community Colleges in Alabama; Marion Military Institute, Jefferson State Community College, Northwest Shoals Community College

Congressional Record, Volume 149

Congressional Record, V. 146, Pt. 18, November 1, 2000 to January 2, 2001