West Alabama Wednesday Briefing
Good morning West Alabama! It is Wednesday July 24, 2024.
A band of rain, some heavy, is trailing from New England to Northeast Mexico and we are right in the middle of it. The weather will not be a complete washout and there continues to be a benefit from it.
The National Climate Center will issue its weekly U.S. Drought Monitor tomorrow morning and it is expected to show a significant decrease drought coverage for West Alabama. It has already had one major positive impact, there is only one wildfire currently burning anywhere in Alabama. That is a small 3.35-acre fire that is currently contained in Western Morgan County in North Alabama.
Another positive is high temperatures will remain in the 80s, an unusual situation for the month of July in Alabama. There could even be some 70s in Fayette and Lamar Counties.
The Forecast:
Topping the News:
Tuscaloosa city agency budget requests are going before the council’s finance committee. The Tuscaloosa City School System is asking for a 2% budget increase largely based on positive academic improvement and increased operating costs. Superintendent Dr. Mike Daria told the committee, among the improvements are 3rd grade reading proficiency rising from 73% to 90% and significant improvement in graduation rates.
Tuscaloosa City Schools has 11,000 students on 21 campuses.
The Tuscaloosa City Council has approved a study of the decade’s only pedestrian bridge crossing Veteran’s Memorial Parkway East. The city had slated the structure to be demolished but opposition from area residents prompted the city to reexamine the structures viability. The council authorized $10,000 to hire Duncan Coker Associates for the study.
39-year-old George La Darius Warren had eluded police since he became a suspect in a murder case last September in Northport's Northwood Lakes neighborhood. Sunday he turned himself in.
24-year-old Demetrius Damon Windham was reportedly ambushed and shot to death as he walked out of his home on Northwood Lake Drive West on the evening of September 24th, 2023.
Antwaun Dewayne Pledger-Payton was charged with Windham's murder, Warren was still being sought as the other person of interest.
Read More: SECOND SUSPECT IN SEPTEMBER MURDER IN NORTHPORT’S NORTHWOOD LAKE SURRENDERS TO POLICE
The new Southern Ale House at Dockside on Lake Tuscaloosa got a unanimous thumbs up vote for an ABC license from the Tuscaloosa City Council last night. One of the co-owners, Duston Holt, told the council the restaurant will be the same as their McFarland Blvd. location. The new location will open soon.
A state law that bans offices of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in state agencies and on state college and university campuses goes into effect on October 1st. That has prompted the University of Alabama System to shutter DEI offices on all of their campuses at Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Huntsville in order to comply with the law.
Now the Division of Opportunities, Connections, and Success will serve a leadership role in collaboration with "existing and future University efforts to support all students seeking educational access and academic achievement,” according to a UA release.
Read More: UA TO CLOSE DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION DIVISION
An expansion of Tuscaloosa’s Bower’s Park looks to be on the way. The Tuscaloosa City Council has approved initial work on the million dollars plus project that will add pickle ball courts and a therapy pool.
Bower's Park is located just of James I. Harrison Parkway East.
Message signs go up today to alert motorists that Lake Nicol Road will be closed at the Lake Nicol Spillway beginning next Wednesday. The closure will run thru Thursday, August 1 for ongoing maintenance.
Beginning Friday, August 2, the westbound lane of Lake Nicol Road will be closed at the Lake Nicol Spillway for approximately two weeks. Flaggers will be on-site directing traffic.
A project at the University of Alabama has a goal to attract over 100,000 members of underrepresented groups to explore careers in real estate. An entry level workshop program called CORE (Career Opportunities in Real Estate) is offering credential-based entry level workforce development that will enable diverse populations to receive scholarships for the eighteen-week program.
Persons interested can go to the CORE website.
Topping Sports News:
According to Jordan Schultz Blog Report, the Cleveland Browns and former Crimson Tide star Amari Cooper have agreed to a restructured one-year contract worth up to $25 million.
Cooper had been holding out hoping for a better contract.
Read More: Amari Cooper & Browns Agree to Deal
The 2024 Summer Olympics begin Friday in Paris and 16 Crimson Tide student-athletes, past and present, will be participating for the U.S.A. or their homes country.
List of Olympic Athletes with UA ties (Per UA Athletics):
| Sport | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Golf | Stephanie Meadow | Ireland |
| Gymnastics | Luisa Blanco | Colombia |
| Gymnastics | Shallon Olsen | Canada |
| Gymnastics | Justin Spring | NBC Commentator - men's competition |
| Swimming | Kalia Antoniou | Cyprus |
| Swimming | Kristian Gkolomeev | Greece |
| Swimming | Victor Johansson | Sweden |
| Swimming | Anton McKee | Iceland |
| Swimming | Kyle Micallef | Malta |
| Tennis (doubles) | Erin Routliffe | New Zealand |
| Track and Field | Daniel Haugh | USA |
| Track and Field | Kirani James | Grenada |
| Track and Field | Shelby McEwen | USA |
| Track and Field | Samuel Ogazi | Nigeria |
| Track and Field | Tarsis Orogot | Uganda |
| Track and Field | Jereem Richards | Trinidad & Tobago |
| Track and Field | Portious Warren | Trinidad & Tobago |