West Alabama Friday Briefing
Good morning West Alabama!! It is Friday June 14, 2024.
It is Flag Day in the United States, a day to proudly fly "Old Glory" in honor of what she means.
The Stars and Stripes are a symbol of freedom. The 50 stars on the flag designate the 50 U.S. states, and the 13 stripes represent the original thirteen British colonies that declared independence from England.
The U.S. Flag is flown proudly by most but has been spit on, burned and ripped apart by protestors and our enemies. Soldiers have rushed to catch the flag and keep it from falling to the ground when its carrier has been wounded or killed in battle. It leads parades and is raised before sporting events and is saluted out of respect for what she represents, The United States of America.
At half-staff the flag honors for those who have fallen in representation and service of their country. It drapes caskets for those who have dedicated their lives in her service.
That "Star Spangled Banner" flies over government buildings, hangs from the front of homes and is worn proudly as a lapel pin by many. The flag can be seen on car bumpers, airliner tail sections, 18 wheelers and boxes of aid being sent abroad.
According to the Smithsonian Institute, "The current design of the U.S. flag is its 27th; the design of the flag has been modified officially 26 times since 1777. The 48-star flag was in effect for 47 years until the 49-star version became official on July 4, 1959. The 50-star flag was ordered by then President Dwight D. Eisenhower on August 21, 1959, and was adopted in July 1960. It is the longest-used version of the U.S. flag and has been in use for over 63 years.
Basically, the U.S. Flag is representative of each of us.
The flag will fly in sunny and hot weather today and through Father's Day weekend.
The Forecast:
A brief standoff in the 1400 block of Leland Drive in Northport yesterday ended with multiple arrests. U-S Marshalls had attempted to serve an active warrant when the suspect became uncooperative. Two people were arrested after the standoff was peacefully concluded.
Read More: BRIEF STANDOFF IN NORTHPORT THURSDAY ENDS WITH MULTIPLE ARRESTS
A 58-year-old woman died as a result of a hit-and-run around 9:30 last night on Englewood Drive. Her body was found in the roadway according to TPD.
The woman was identified as a nearby resident. Family members said she had a condition that could have caused her to collapse before being struck by a vehicle.
TPD is looking for the driver.
Read More: TUSCALOOSA WOMAN KILLED IN HIT-AND-RUN, POLICE SEARCH FOR DRIVER
It was bittersweet for owner Phillip Guy when he locked the doors for the last time last night at the now former Buddy’s Rib and Steak in Northport. Guy had attempted to sell the popular restaurant to someone who would maintain its unique identity but was unsuccessful.
Buddy Hall founded the popular community eatery in 1978.
The restaurant's equipment and Crimson Tide memorabilia will be sold off next week.
Read More: BUDDY'S RIB & STEAK IS NO MORE
Lake View Police have responded to numerous calls at Broken Vessel, a controversial communal living facility in NE Tuscaloosa County. Mayor Dr. Arian Dudley has told a council meeting that the facility has been operating without a business license.
Operators of The Broken Vessel promise to file for a license Monday. Once the application is filed, a public hearing must be scheduled. That could bring considerable opposition from neighbors.
Alabama is one of 10 states chosen by the U-S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. A series of regional mental health centers are being developed in the state as part of that grant program for mental health and substance abuse services. Tuscaloosa will be the site for one of them.
Crisis System of Care, a network of crisis centers that launched in 2022 is already in operation in the state, including Tuscaloosa.
The long-range goal is to have 11 crisis centers, including some that will be designated for rural areas.
There is a massive backlog of unemployment claims at the Alabama Department of Labor stretching back to the beginning of the COVID19 Pandemic. Department spokesperson Tara Hutchison says more than 80,000 of 2,000,000 claims submitted from every county are still outstanding.
Hutchison identifies the slow process of validating each claim to prevent fraud as the culprit for the slow down.
Ongoing remodeling of Snow Hinton Park just off McFarland Blvd. is expected to be complete by Labor Day.
New landscaping and remodeling of pavilions and restrooms are about complete.
The Kentuck Arts Festival which moved from Northport to Tuscaloosa will be conduct at Snow Hinton Park in October.
State, federal and most municipal offices will be closed��Wednesday for the Juneteenth Holiday. Closures include the cities of Tuscaloosa and Tuscaloosa County government facilities.
Juneteenth commemorates the day when the last slaves in Texas found out they were free, nearly two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation had officially outlawed slavery.
The Alabama Legislature failed to pass a bill that would have officially added Juneteenth to the list of official state holidays. Instead, Gov. Ivey issued an executive order making June 19th a state holiday.
Read More: TUSCALOOSA’S NAACP CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM RETURNS TO PALMORE PARK
In a press release, the City of Tuscaloosa has announced the Farmers Market will open every Tuesday in July from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at its usual home in the River Market. That is in addition to its normal Saturday morning operations.
Topping Sports News:
The NCAA College Baseball World Series begins today in Omaha. But you could call it the SEC/ACC challenge. Each conference had four teams earn berths.
Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Florida will represent the Southeastern Conference while Florida State, Virginia, N.C. State and North Carolina will represent the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The first game matches North Carolina against Virginia at 1:00 this afternoon. #1 seed UT takes on Florida State at 6:00 tonight.
Thursday was a big day for former Crimson Tide star and NFL first-round choice Terrion Arnold. He signed a four-year contract worth $14.344 million which includes a $7.252 million signing bonus, according to media reports.
Arnold then threw out the ceremonial first-pitch for the Detroit Tiger's game against the Wahington Nationals at Comerica Park.
Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Father's Day Sunday!!
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