West Alabama Friday Briefing

Good Friday morning West Alabama! It is September 13, 2024 and it is TGIF!

Francine is in Arkansas this morning, but remnants of the storm will drift through West Alabama today bringing potential for severe weather with flooding rain and a low-end tornado risk in rain bands this afternoon and early evening. The greatest threat is east of a line from Fayette to Tuscaloosa to Marion.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has continued a FLOOD WATCH, remains in effect for Bibb, Tuscaloosa, Lamar, Fayette and Walker counties in West Alabama through tomorrow morning.

The upside to all the moisture is Francine has helped cut into the continuing drought across West Alabama. Rainfall potential across West Alabama through 7:00pm Sunday shows another 1.5" to 2" possible to the northeast of Tuscaloosa and .5" to an inch possible to the southwest.

The Forecast:

Today

A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday

A chance of showers before 10am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10am and 1pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. High near 79. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday Night

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. East wind around 5 mph.

Sunday

A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday Night

A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.

Next Week

Get our free mobile app

Topping the News:

Some 15-hundred West Alabama residents awoke to no power this morning. That is down from a peak of more than 15,000 Thursday. The outages resulted from the passage of Francine, which felled trees and power lines across the region.

Power crews expect all power to be restored by early afternoon.

A 2% pay raise has been approved by the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees for the community and technology colleges and the Alabama Technology Network.

The raise for Shelton State, Beville State and Walker State Community College employees in West Alabama and other campuses across the state will be effective Sept. 1, 2024, for all employees except faculty, which will be effective the first day of the 2024-25 term.

The Board approved the increase on a voice vote with little discussion.

The Alabama Legislature approved a 2% increase for education employees during its spring legislative session.

Numerous pine trees are dead and severely stressed because of a southern pine beetle infestation spreading across Alabama’s state and national forests. The Talladega Nationa Forest in Perry and Bibb counties and woodlands in Pickens County here in West Alabama have been especially hard hit.

Alabama Forestry Commission’s Thomas Moss warns the outbreak can hurt the state’s economy because wood is one of the state's top money makers.

Forestry officials caution hikers and visitors to forest and woodlands to be aware of dead trees that could easily fall.

German Grocery Chain ALDI, which recently bought Winn-Dixie stores and now has numerous locations in Tuscaloosa/Northport is raising starting employee pay. A company press release says store employees pay will now be $18.00 an hour and warehouse workers will begin at $23.00 an hour. The company is also improving benefits for employees working more than 30 hours a week.

When former Walker County Jail Corrections officer Karen Kelly leaked a cellphone video of inmate Anthony Mitchell being carried from jail to a Jasper hospital where he later died, she was fired.

Mitchell's death has brought charges of improper treatment by jail officers that led to his death.

Kelley appeared in court yesterday to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge in the case. Her attorney Brett Bloomston told to reporters that Kelly hopes what she did will help keep an incident like this from ever happening again.

ALEA is handling the death investigation which is expected to bring more charges.

A longtime mover and shaker in Tuscaloosa and statewide has passed away at the age of 73. William F. “Bill” O’Connor Jr. was a leader in several areas at the University of Alabama administrative level and a power in the Alabama business community.

Graveside services for O’Conner will be Tuesday at 1:00p, in Tuscaloosa Memorial Park.

The University of Alabama continues to be ranked on the list of the "Top 10 Party Schools in America" at #10 by Niche website. Auburn ranks 43rd. The University of West Alabama ranks #397 while Stillman College ranks 476

Here is the list as compiled by Niche, a website that analyzes data and ranks schools in various categories: Top Party Schools in Alabama.

Retail interest rates on credit cards continue to soar. 35% at Big Lots, Petco and Michaels are the highest. 34.99% at J-C Penny, Walgreens and T.J. Maxx are just behind. Costco is 20.49% and Amazon interest rates are 10%.

Topping Sports News:

Alabama enters tomorrow's game with Big Ten power Wisconsin as a 16.5-point favorite. That has remained steady all week.

The 11:00am kickoff is the Tide's first road trip of the year, the first morning kickoff of the season and the first time Bama has played in Madison, WI since November 3, 1928, when they lost to the Badgers 15-0.

The last time the two teams played was in Arlington, TX in 2015 when UA beat the Badgers 35-17.

Tonight’s High School Football Schedule:

Cullman at Jasper
Sweetwater hosts Leroy
Holy Spirit welcomes University Charter
C. Hatch visits Linden
Keith hosts Ellwood Academy
Berry travels to Hubbertville
Pickens County is at Lynn
South Lamar visits Marion County
Greene County is home to Sulligent
Tuscaloosa Academy travels to Isabella
Hale County hosts Greensboro
Sumter Central is home to Thomasville
Gordo visits Winfield
ACA is on the road at Bibb County
Holt is home to West Blocton
Cordova travels to Curry
Demopolis welcomes Montevallo
Northside hits to road to Selma
Sipsey Valley entertains Aliceville
Brookwood hosts Northridge
Central hosts Bessemer City
Paul Bryant is home to Hueytown
Tuscaloosa County travels to Prattville
Hillcrest has a home game with Vestavia Hills

Oft injured former Tide QB Tua Tagovailoa suffered his third concussion of his career with the Miami a Dolphins last night in a loss to Buffalo.

Dolphins medical trainers attended to him for several minutes as players knelt around him. He was ultimately able to walk off the field and into the team's locker room under his own power. He is said to be awake and alert this morning.

The concussion occurred after Tua was hit by Buffalo's Damar Hamlin who ironically suffered near career ending heart attack during a Bills game.

Click TuscaloosaThread.com throughout the day for the latest West Alabama news, sports and weather. better yet, download the app.

Have a great weekend and ROLL TIDE!!