FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama received copies of several movie scripts – including “Casablanca,” Hitchcock’s “Notorious” and “The Wolf Man” – among other pieces of classic movie memorabilia yesterday. The items are donated through the generosity of actress Jessica Rains, daughter of legendary actor Claude Rains, who played in “Casablanca,” “The Invisible Man” and many other films.

FLORENCE, Ala. – Mark your calendar for Dec. 6, when one of the most popular musical events of the season will take place: the Shoals Symphony at UNA’s annual Holiday Concert. This year’s performance, Saint-Saens’ “Christmas Oratorio,” is set for 2 p.m. in Norton Auditorium.

TOWSON, Md. - University of North Alabama senior Tassia Augusto has been named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Women’s Soccer Teams, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). A Health, Physical Education and Recreation major, Augusto has a cumulative 3.67 grade point average and was named first-team Academic All-America.

FLORENCE, Ala. – All Perry Mason and Bobby Donnell needed in the courtroom was good acting skill. But for University of North Alabama junior Cody Wix, it’s been all about living and breathing the law and being a lightning-fast thinker on his feet.

FLORENCE, Ala. – Thoreau, Alcott and Marx. They have more in common than being among the most influential 19th century writers. More recently, they became the topics of the top two prize-winning papers at the inaugural Alabama Regional Graduate Conference in English, hosted recently at the University of North Alabama. Both papers were written and presented by a UNA graduate student in English and an alumnus of the UNA English department.

FLORENCE, Ala. – Nursing is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 most secure jobs in the country. Students at the University of North Alabama will soon be able to enter that career field even faster, completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in only 15 months.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama English Club and Pillar of Fire are co-sponsoring a two-part celebration of the lasting legacy of a classic stage and film star this week.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama’s Mock Trial Competition Team will compete Nov. 13-14 at the Mid South Invitational held at Middle Tennessee State University.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama Planetarium and Observatory will unveil new mural-sized NASA images of the center of the Milky Way Galaxy Tuesday morning at 10. The university is one of the institutions chosen by NASA to participate in the nationwide unveiling, which is part of the International Year of Astronomy.

FLORENCE, Ala. – Shoals musicians just can’t keep their hands off the new custom University of North Alabama signature guitars, handcrafted by Benedetto.

FLORENCE, Ala. – Shoals residents can swing to the rhythm of Big Band Era classics from Glenn Miller, Billy Holiday, Frank Sinatra and more at the Big Band Benefit Concert Nov. 15. The show begins at 2 p.m. in Norton Auditorium. General admission tickets are $10, and $5 for students. Veterans and active military are admitted free of charge.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama will host its annual Veterans Day program at the Memorial Amphitheater on campus at 11 a.m. Nov. 11. Rain location will be the Performance Center of the Guillot University Center.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama will host International Education Week Nov. 16-20. The week aims to educate students about different cultures and to showcase the university’s international flair.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama Department of Music and Theatre will present “A Classically Jazzy Holiday Event,” featuring the UNA Brass Ensemble, at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 in Norton Auditorium. The UNA Brass Ensemble is under the direction of Dr. Eddie Elsey Jr., assistant professor of low brass.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama has received a $350,000 grant from the Department of Justice to research patterns of crime during disaster and disaster-recovery periods. The research is for Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS.

FLORENCE, Ala. – Learning good manners at the dinner table does not end with “sit up straight” and “eat your pees and carrots.” Manners in a dining situation are essential in today’s professional world.

FLORENCE, Ala. – Four new University of North Alabama football teams have formed in recent weeks. They’re not vying for a national title like their intercollegiate counterparts, but they do seek official bragging rights.

FLORENCE, Ala. – Tickets are now on sale for the 25th anniversary “Back to the Future” reunion, a special event of the University of North Alabama’s 2010 George Lindsey UNA Film Festival. The reunion will be held at 7 p.m. March 5 at the historic Shoals Theater in downtown Florence. “Back to the Future” screenwriter Bob Gale and actors Lea Thompson, Marc McClure and James Tolkan are scheduled to appear at the reunion.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama’s fall 2009 Flutes and Friends concert will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 at the 1st Presbyterian Church on Mobile Street in downtown Florence. The event will bring together UNA students, faculty and alumni to perform for the public.

Three alumni win for songwriting and publishing

FLORENCE -- For the first time since 1996 the University of North Alabama is the top ranked college football team in the NCAA Division II as the Lions moved up one spot to No. 1 in the latest American Football Coaches Association poll released Monday.

FLORENCE, Ala. – Murder, love affairs and politics are just a few of the exciting themes that readers will find in “Murder and Madness: The Myth of the Kentucky Tragedy.” Dr. Matthew Schoenbachler, a University of North Alabama associate professor of history, has just finished the book that will hit shelves in early November. The book is published by The University Press of Kentucky.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama’s Kilby Laboratory School has started a fifth- and sixth-grade beginning band program. Kilby is a public K-6 school.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama is expecting 1,500 prospective students along with families and guests to attend its annual Preview Day Nov. 7. The event is open to all students and families interested in UNA. No reservations are required.

FLORENCE, Ala. – During a troubled economy, the University of North Alabama College of Business and the Shoals Angel Network are partnering to create new businesses in the Shoals area. The Shoals Angel Network is a group of local business leaders who evaluate and invest in start-up business ideas.

FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama’s graduate program in counselor education achieved a national mark of distinction recently when it received accreditation from CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs). CACREP is an independent agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit graduate programs in several counseling specialties.

FLORENCE, Ala. – A group of 20 University of North Alabama students have decided to spend their fall break doing local community service.