West Alabama Monday Briefing
It is Monday, October 23, 2023. Is there still a haze of cigar smoke over Bryant-Denny Stadium this morning? Everybody, even the ladies, in Crimson seemed to be lighting up in the twilight of Saturday after the Crimson Tide's amazing second half come from behind to beat the Tennessee Vols.
Thankfully, for players and fans, Bama has this coming weekend off to heal and rejuvenate after a long and tough eight straight weeks of the football grind. They do so on a high note moving into the top ten in both polls this week. But they have to keep in mind a visit by a very talented LSU team to T-Town on October 4th.
The standing of the Crimson Tide is the good news. The bad news is there is no rain in the forecast along with warmer temperatures through the coming weekend. That means we can expect already moderate to severe drought conditions to get progressively worse across West Alabama.
The Forecast:
Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 84. East wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 83. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph.
Remainder of the Week: Sunny days and mostly clear nights. Highs in the low 80s and lows in the low 60s.
Topping the News:
According to the UAW, the month-long United Auto Workers strike against Mercedes supplier ZF Industries is tentatively over. 190 union workers at the facility had been picketing the company demanding higher pay and better benefits. The new, four-year contract ends any threat the strike had of forcing cutbacks or closures at Mercedes.
UAW Local 2083 members had rejected four previous contract proposals by the company because they failed to address workers’ core demands.
ZF Groups Tuscaloosa facility makes axels for the Vance Mercedes plant.
There are now nine Republicans running for speaker of the U-S House, including an Alabamian. 6th District Congressman Gary Palmer, in a written statement on his Facebook site, pointed out the need to unify Republicans in the house and the nation. He says the U-S is the most divided it has been in 160 years.
Last week Joran van der Sloot finally admitted to bludgeoning Mountain Brook teenager Natalie Holloway to death after she refused his advances in Aruba in 2005. Today, her family commemorates what would have been her 37th birthday. But in a statement by her mother Beth, she says Natalie will be 18 forever in her heart.
Access to healthcare and long wait times will just get worse according to a study by the Alabama Board of Nursing. It shows almost 39,000 nurses leaving the profession in Alabama over the next four years. Healthcare officials say the coming exodus will further exacerbate the healthcare crisis in Alabama. They also point out there are not enough traveling nurses available to pick up the slack.
Alabama Junior U-S Senator Katie Britt has released a statement concerning the Friday night armed robbery of one of her staff members in Washington D.C.
“We thank God that she is safe and sound after this terrifying incident, and we’re grateful to the Capitol Police Department and Metropolitan Police Department officers who quickly and professionally responded to the scene. It is infuriating and completely unacceptable that an American who is on Capitol Hill to serve her country cannot safely walk the streets of Washington, D.C. at 8:30 at night because of the out-of-control crime in this city. Just look at the police department’s own numbers – this year, robberies are up 68% and motor vehicle thefts are up 102%. Local elected officials in the District of Columbia have the responsibility not just to their citizens, but to the country, to step up and get a hold of the crime crisis ravaging the streets of our nation’s capital.”
The Britt staffer is one of several staff members and at least one congressman who have been crime victims recently in the nation's capital.
Jack Warner Parkway between Nick’s Kids Avenue and Greensboro Avenue is closed today as workers continue installation of a pedestrian overpass. It will reopen at 5 this afternoon. Motorists are advised to seek an alternate route when traveling in that area.
The Tuscaloosa Police Department and the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit continue to investigate a double shooting that left a teenager and an adult man injured. Police responded to reports of a shooting around 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the 3100 block of 21st street. Police said a 14-year-old boy and a 45-year-old man were shot but, although not thought to be life-threatening, neither their conditions nor circumstances surround the shootings have been released.
32-year-old Columbus, Mississippi resident Caleb R. Owens, was killed in a single-vehicle accident in rural West Alabama Saturday afternoon. He was not wearing a seat belt when he ran off the road and struck a tree near Ethelsville in Western Pickens County.
In Sports:
Alabama's come from behind, second half win over Tennessee Saturday has vaulted them into the top ten of both college football polls this week. IN AP the Tide is 9th. In the USA Today College Football Poll Bama is ranked 8th.
Tennessee dropped to 20th in the Coaches Poll and 21st in the AP Poll.
UA has this coming weekend off before their next major test when 15th ranked LSU visits Bryant-Denny.
Mac Jones and the Patriots’ offense took the field down three to Buffalo with less than two minutes to play. Driving down the field with 12 seconds remaining Jones hit tight end Mike Gesiki with a perfect pass with 12 seconds left. Pats win 29-25.
In the NFL battle of two former Bama QBs Jalen Hurts beat Tua Tagovailoa as the Eagles blasted the Dolphins 38-17 last night.
Have a magnificent week!!
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