West Alabama Friday Briefing

Good morning West Alabama. It is Friday, December 27, 2024. It is the last weekend of the year upcoming.

Friday Morning Observations:

Welcome to National Fruitcake Day! Christmas may be in the rearview mirror, but the cake most commonly associated with the holidays gets its own day today. There seems to be no middle ground on the chewy, rich combination of dried fruit, nuts, and sugar, often saturated with wine, brandy or bourbon. People either love or hate fruitcake.

The earliest documented recipe for fruitcake in ancient Rome consisted of ingredients like pomegranate seeds, raisins, and pine nuts, mixed with barley. (no, contrary to popular belief, it would not still be edible today).

A poll by the National Today Science Team got the following results when they asked 1,000 adults the following question, "How do you feel about fruitcake?"

14.99%, "I don't like it."
14.12%, "I've never tried it."
9.02%, "I would never buy fruitcake."
8.08%, "I like it."
7.86%, "I eat it if it's homemade."
7.5%, "I throw it out."
7.13%, "It's the worst Christmas food in existence."
5.24%, \"I only eat it if I know what's in it."
4.8%, "I've never tried it but still make fun of it."
4.66%, "I only eat it to be polite."
4.08%, "It's my favorite Christmas food."
3.35%, "I have a family fruitcake recipe passed down."
3.28%, "I've made my own fruitcake."
3.2%, "I regift it."

Some of my fondest holiday memories are of my grandmother (my mother's mother) beginning to make fruitcakes around Thanksgiving. They were the best. To preserve it, she would always pour Mogan David Kosher Wine over. (I never understood why it had to be Kosher because she wasn't Jewish.)

What my grandmother was, was an almost tee-totaller. The only alcohol she ever consumed was poured over linen cloth believing the cakes improved with age. But, she would not be seen in the state store purhasing it, so she sent her sons-in-law and later when I was olde enough, me, to buy it.

Fruitcakes used to be the most popular holiday treat, especial among royals. But that popularity has wained, mainly because of poor quality mass produced fruitcakes and of course the jokes made about the desert. The late Tonight Show host Johnny Carson told the same two every year.

“The worst Christmas gift is fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other, year after year.”

“Why does fruitcake make the perfect gift? “Because the U.S. Postal Service hasn’t found a way to damage it.”

However, another reason may be that a good fruitcake like those my grandmother made, takes time and effort, sometimes up to a week to complete every step.

Fruotcake still is a symbol of the holidays for me, even if we are still cutting pieces to eat in the coming spring.

(Opinions expressed in Morning briefing are those of the author and not necissarily those of the ownership, management, staff or sponsors of Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa.)

Weather:

It is not unusual for this time of the year that we have the possibility of severe weather across West Alabama. Afterall, November and December are the secondary severe weather season months.

Severe thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon and evening, noon through 8 PM. The threat level is a Marginal (1 in 5) Risk that there will be isolated/brief tornadoes, damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph, and large hail up to quarter size.

The risk levels for tomorrow imcrease due to greater atmospheric instability according to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center. Southwest of a roughly Vernon to Fosters to Eutaw to Demopolis line there is an Enhanced (3 in 5) Risk. East of that line there is a Slight (2 in 5 Risk).

The Forecast:

Today

Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Patchy fog before 4pm, then patchy fog after 5pm. High near 64. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tonight

A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm, then a slight chance of showers after 3am. Patchy fog before midnight, then patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 59. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Patchy fog before 9am. High near 70. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday Night

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 59. South wind around 10 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday

A 20 percent chance of showers before noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Next Week

Mostly sunny during the day Monday with a slight chance of showers building back in Monday night through the day on New Years Eve. Highs will be in the upper 60s Monday and Tuesday before dropping into the mid 50s by New Years Day. Lows in the mid 50s Monday and Tuesday will plunge to near freezing New Years Night.

Get our free mobile app

Topping the News:

Traffic Notice

Traffic could backup on McFarland Blvd. near the Woolsey Finnel Bridge. Crews working for the Alabama Department of Transportation will close a ramp leading from Jack Warner Parkway to the Finnell Bridge during daylight hours for a few days to clear trees according to an ALDOT release.

Toddler's Family Believe Authorities Dropped the Ball

Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) records indicate there was some interaction between the agency and the family of missing 1-year-old Khalib Collins but just what that contact was is not available due to confidentiality laws.

That contact was prior to a high-speed single vehicle crash that killed the boy's father, sister and critical injured his mother.

The child's great aunt, Katherine Chaplin, told news partner ABC 3340 that Kahleb's deceased father was "a sadistic, narcissist, evil person that preyed on a young woman." She claims DHR and law enforcement should have done more to protect the children and their mother.

Kahleb's grandfather, who lived with the couple, remains in Fayette County Jail, charged with failing to report a missing child.

Jobs are Available in Alabama

According to the Alabama Department of Labor jobs as registered nurses, retail salespersons, supervisors of retail sales workers, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, and customer service representatives were the top positions available in November.

Huntsville Hospital, Walmart, UA Medicine, Taco Bell and Jack's Family Restaurants were the top job posters.

Half of the available positions pay less than $50,000 annually. Many of those in the medical field pay about $70,000 a year.

Flu Cases Surge in Alabama

As expected with the holiday gathers, flu cases have surged across the state. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Alabama is ranked at high levels of influenza. The number of flu cases (where patients had to visit a doctor or emergency room) in the state have risen by 6.45% since last week.

The Alabama Department of Public Health reports the elderly, those with weak immune systems, young children and those with heart conditions are in the high-risk category.

Influenza A than B.are the primary strains being reported in Alabama.

ADPH does not expect a peak in flu cases until late January or early December and points out it is not too late to be vaccinated.

Mega Millions Worth Mega Billion

The Mega Millions jackpot reached an estimated $1.15 billion after no one matched all six numbers drawn on Christmas Eve. The cash value now is estimated to be $516.1 million.

The next drawing is tonight and large number of vehicles with Alabama license plates are being reported at lottery dealers in Mississippi and surrounding states.

Some Alabama lawmakers are vowing to introduce lottery legislation again in the coming session.

Topping Sports News:

Five games are on today's College Football Bowl Schedule, four of them involve Southeastern Conference Teams. (All times CST) (SEC Teams Highlighted)

Armed Forces Bowl: Navy vs Oklahoma, 11:00am
Birmingham Bowl: Georgia Tech vs Vanderbilt. 2:30pm
Liberty Bowl: Arkansas vs Texas Tech, 6:00pm
Holiday Bowl: Syracuse vs Washington State, 7:00pm
Las Vegas Bowl: USC vs Texas A&M, 9:30pm

Birmingham Bowl

The Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium in downtown Birmingham this afternoon pits two teams that performed above expectations this season.

The Vanderbilt Commodores knocked off then #1 ranked Alabama and Georgia Tech took CFP playoff participant Georgia to the wire during the regular season.

While the teams have only played 38 times, with Georgia Tech leading the series 20-15-3, a little-known, hundred-year-old golden cowbell marking the team's 1924 matchup is also up for grabs according to the bowl's website.

After a week of activity in the Magic City the game kicks off at 2:30 CST this afternoon.

Next Bama Men's Basketball Action

The 5th ranked Alabama Men's Basketball Team returns to action Sunday after taking Christmas off. The Tide will host South Dakota State at 2:00pm at Coleman Coliseum. Bama is a heavy favorite.

UA begins the SEC schedule a week from tomorrow against Oklahoma in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide Women are also at home Sunday in an 11:00am matchup with Jacksonville at Coleman.

Countdown on for Bama and Michigan

Tuesday game in Tampa at the Reliaquest Bowl is a rematch of last year's Rose Bowl CFP semifinal against the Michigan Wolverines. The Maze and Blue won that in overtime.

Tuesday game will break a 6-6 tie in games won in the series between two of the winningest schools of all time.

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

Have a wonderful weekend and ROLL TIDE!