West Alabama Friday Briefing

Good morning West Alabama! It is Friday, December 20, 2024.

Friday Morning Observations:

This is the last big shopping weekend before Christmas. It should be a busy weekend as shoppers head out for those last gifts, stocking stuffers and to stock up at the grocery store.

This will also be one of the busiest holiday travel periods. AAA projects 119.3 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the year-end holiday period* from Saturday, December 21 to Wednesday, January 1. This year's domestic travel projection narrowly surpasses the previous record set in 2019 by 64,000 travelers.

Expect the roads to be crowded, as 90% of holiday travelers will be getting to their destinations by car. That is where you come in. You can make the highways a lot safer for you, your family and other travelers by doing, or not doing, a few simple things when on the road.

No matter the activity or festive event you and your family have planned, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is urging motorists traveling on Alabama roadways to slow down and prepare ahead of your trip to ensure that everyone arrives safely to their destination.

ALEA’s Troopers assigned to the Highway Patrol Division will conduct a variety of enforcement activities, including driver license and equipment check points, to curb such deadly behaviors as driving under the influence, driving while distracted, not buckling up, speeding and following too closely. It is all part of their ongoing “12 Days of Safety” campaign.

Here are the top tips from the "12 Days of Safety Campaign":

1. Avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
2. Slow down and obey all posted speed limits.
3. Expect traffic heavier than usual.
4. Buckle up – no matter how short your trip.
5. Don’t follow other vehicles too closely.
6. Make sure your vehicle is in good operating condition.
7. Be ready for any emergency.

Following ALEA's advice can help make this truly a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR instead of a tragic one.

(Opinions expressed in Morning Briefing are not necessarily those of ownership, management or staff of Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa.)

Weather:

We will have generally sunny skies and seasonal high temperatures and chilly nights into the first part of Christmas week. However, the National Weather Service introduces small chances for rain Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The Forecast:

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24^th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Andy Hamlin’s office has joined the investigation into the disappearance of 1-year-old Kahlib Collins in Fayette County. The child has apparently been missing for at least a couple of months but had not been reported to authorities.

Read More: Complex Case of Missing Infant “Top Priority” of Fayette County & State Police

The family who founded west Tuscaloosa's Stillman College almost 150 years ago has made a $2 million gift to its endowment, which leaders say will protect the institution's long-term financial future.

Read More: Great-Grandson of Stillman College’s Founder Donates $2 Million to HBCU’s Endowment

A deposition in the case of arrest of James Gorman Houston III states the former pastor was taken into custody during a sting operation by the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force. The 66-year-old had been sexually explicit in communicating online with a person he thought to be an underage minor. When Houston went to a pre-arraigned meeting he was taken into custody.

The son of former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Gorman Houston, Jr. is a former pastor at Tuscaloosa First United Methodist Church and Dauphin Way UMC in Mobile. He also is a retired senior instructor of management at UA's Culverhouse College of Business.

If convicted of a Class B felony of electronic solicitation of a child, he could face up to 20 years in prison and would be required to register as a sex offender.

The new drought monitor shows the ongoing drought continues but ABC 3340 Chief Meteorologist James Spann tells us recent rains have helped reduce the severity. Most of West Alabama is now Abnormally Dry while Greene, Hale and Perry Counties are in Moderate Drought and Marengo drought levels have dropped from extreme to severe.

Associated with the drought, there is only one wildfire burning in the state this morning. That is a small 3.5 acre one just south of Decatur in Morgan County.

Alabama State Troopers will be delivering Bears to young patients who will spend Christmas in DCH Regional Medical Center this year. The 10:00am event is an annual project of the Troopers.

The bears are purchased with money from fundraisers, the Troopers own contributions and donations. Each "trooper bear" is outfitted with a trooper hat and shirt.

National retailer Big Lots is preparing for a going out of business sale at all its stores, including the one in Northport. In a Thursday press release the national chain said it hopes to complete the sale by early January.

Tuscaloosa Official celebrated the opening of the new $10 million Benjamin Barnes YMCA in West End yesterday. There was a ribbon cutting and an open house at the facility of the McDonald Hughes Center property.

Read More: Leaders Celebrate Opening of West Tuscaloosa’s New Benjamin Barnes YMCA

Topping Sports News:

Alabama football participated in what 24/7 Sports considers as two of the best stadium environments for games in the 2024 season.

Georgia at Alabama on September 28^th is considered the 7^th best stadium environment of the season when the Bulldogs visited Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The Crimson Tide’s visit to Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on October 19^th has been voted the third best stadium atmosphere.

The Number one best stadium game environment is Texas A&M’s trip to Columbia South Carolina on November 2^nd when the then 10^th ranked Aggies were upset by the Gamecocks 44-20.

Below is the Top 10 Stadium Environments List:

1. Texas A&M at South Carolina
2. Ohio State at Oregon
3. Alabama at Tennessee
4. LSU at Texas A&M
5. Texas A&M at Auburn
6. Ole Miss at LSU
7. Georgia at Alabama
8. Michigan at Indiana
9. BYU at Arizona State
10. Colorado at Nebraska

Two college bowl games and a playoff game are on the schedule today. Jacksonville State plays Ohio in the Cure Bowl at 11:00 this morning. At 2:00pm Florida faces Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl… In the playoffs, Indiana is at Notre Dame at 7:00 tonight.

In tomorrow's playoff games at 11:00am SMU is at Penn State, at 3:00pm Clemson visits Texas and at 7:00pm Tennessee is at Ohio State.

UA Men's Basketball plays the 1st of three home games at noon Sunday against Kent State. The Tide plays South Dakota State on Sunday December 29th and opens the SEC season hosting Oklahoma on Saturday, January 4th.

Former University of Alabama men's golf standout Nick Dunlap was voted as the 2024 Arnold Palmer Award Rookie of the Year honoree, the PGA TOUR announced Thursday. Tour officials flew to Alabama to present Dunlap with the award at the Crimson Reserve, the Crimson Tide's new state-of-the-art practice facility.

Dunlap had a sensational rookie season in 2024, playing in 23 events resulting in a pair of wins, four top 10 and seven top 25 finishes.

The 10-1 Alabama Women's Basketball Team is on the road today in West Palm beach, FL. The Tide takes on Michigan State in the West Palm Beach Classic at 3:30 this afternoon.

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