Latest news with #Conaway
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
A&M students express concerns about housing on the Hill
NORMAL, Ala. (WHNT) — Alabama A&M University continues to grow, welcoming its largest-ever freshman class in both 2023 and 2024, but with growth comes challenges. The university has faced complaints from students and their families in recent years over student housing conditions. Now, A&M has to house more students than ever. Decatur Morgan Hospital achieves CLABSI infection rate of zero 'Sometimes the people who are in power in these situations don't fully understand the effects of what they're doing, especially when they don't fully consider the voices of the people that are under them,' said Alabama A&M student Georghetta Conaway. Conaway, a senior at A&M, has lived in university housing during her time on the Hill, but she said she needs to know if the school will still have a room for her next semester. She said she reached out to News 19 because she and other students have asked for information about where they will be able to live in August, and the university has been slow to provide it. 'My peers have said they've called the housing office and emailed and all those kinds of things, but nobody's really answering the phones for them,' Conaway said. According to a housing update sent to Conaway late Thursday, A&M confirmed it will prioritize on-campus housing for freshman students. When those campus rooms are full, upperclassmen will be directed to off-campus apartments leased by the university, which A&M said will be the available housing for more than 55% of their students. Body found on Whitesburg Bridge, death ruled as homicide Conaway is still not clear if students who use financial aid to help pay for housing will still be able to do that, or if they will face bigger out-of-pocket costs. 'They try to provide scholarships for people who may not look the best on paper, but they are trying to give our community, you know, everyone a chance at education,' Conaway said. 'I admire that and I appreciate that. I think of that when I think of this situation, but it also makes me upset because it feels like they're not planning properly to make sure they can accommodate all the people that they are letting into the school.' Conaway said she has felt discouraged from reaching out to A&M administration. She said she and her fellow students have questions and concerns that she hopes leadership will hear and provide timely responses moving forward. 'It also just feels like the money is not going to places where it would be in the best interest of their current students,' Conaway said. 'Because what is a school without students?' Alabama A&M currently has two dorms closed for renovations. Morris and Stephens Halls are scheduled to reopen in Spring 2026. News 19 has reached out to Alabama A&M for comment, but we have not heard back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Norfolk Southern running out of money for East Palestine Park renovation
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) – The $25 million allocated by Norfolk Southern to renovate East Palestine Park will not be enough to do everything that was originally planned. Now village council is being tasked with deciding what changes should be made. One option is for the village to be given the money and let East Palestine finish the renovations itself. Read next: Vice President JD Vance visits East Palestine on derailment anniversary The first of a three-phase renovation is underway at East Palestine City Park with the sports courts and main field being worked on. It's 60% done and $3 million over budget. 'We wasted days and days of sunny, sunny, dry weather without doing anything over there,' said Councilman Tim Blythe. At a special meeting Tuesday night, officials with Norfolk Southern told village council that changes to the park's original plan must be made to meet the $25 million budget. Some council members were not happy about it. 'We thought that we had all been on the same page with that and it's just sad, I guess,' said Councilwoman Dr. Jessica Rocco. 'We still don't have, to this date, an itemized list of this project up to this point of what the work's been done,' said Councilman Lenny Glaven. 'How often are they on-site? Because as a project manager myself, I'm on my construction jobs every day,' said Councilman John Simon. The construction manager is Norfolk Southern's Design and Construction Department, which is on-site about once a month. Among the changes being proposed — an ADA-compliant sidewalk leading to a new brick pavilion. 'From the lower parking lot up, that's cut,' said Mayor Trent Conaway. Also suggested to be cut are renovations to the upper baseball fields, additional parking spaces, and redoing the driveway and sidewalk to the community center. The projects staying include a new swimming pool, an amphitheater, a brick pavilion and renovating the community center. At one point, Conaway suggested what he called the 'nuclear option.' 'Is there an option that we get the funds and we just run it?' Norfolk Southern has already spent around $3.9 million, meaning the city would get $21.1 million to spend on the park as it pleases. 'I feel very confident in the people we have working for the village that we can redo the baseball fields way under the cost you can,' Conaway said. The Norfolk Southern officials seemed agreeable to having the village take over renovating the park, saying they could have an answer by tomorrow. No decisions were made Tuesday. Conaway wants all the options put on the table and another meeting held on March 10 at 6 p.m. to decide what, if anything, should be cut. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
